Twilight Time Discussion Thread

[Partyslammer]

Originally Posted by LucasM2012

I'm a long-time Harryhausen fan (about 40 years). I would say that 'Golden Voyage' is, but you might want to watch 'Eye of the Tiger' before making a purchase. To me the story is weak, and the animation looks 'wrong' because there is so much LARGE fur on the creatures they look awkward instead of his usual graceful movement [e.g. a sabre-tooth tiger with fur the equivalent of a foot long and as stiff as elephant hair bristles].

I agree. I'm not much of a fan of Harryhausen's last 3 movies. Not coincidently, the last 3 movies suffer in part due to not having a solid, epic soundtrack score from someone like Bernard Herrmann or even Laurie Johnson.

With the two Sinbad flicks, there's a noticeable sense of 70's cheapness about the live action scenes. Obviously, there's the few major animated set pieces in both movies that make the films worth watching if you're a diehard Harryhausen fan but they lack a certain spark or magic that anything from Gwangi going backwards had. Clash Of The Titans was a step up, but aside from the Gorgon sequence the movie just doesn't click with me and remains my least favorite film in Harryhausen's feature filmography.

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by Partyslammer

I agree. I'm not much of a fan of Harryhausen's last 3 movies. Not coincidently, the last 3 movies suffer in part due to not having a solid, epic soundtrack score from someone like Bernard Herrmann or even Laurie Johnson.

With the two Sinbad flicks, there's a noticeable sense of 70's cheapness about the live action scenes. Obviously, there's the few major animated set pieces in both movies that make the films worth watching if you're a diehard Harryhausen fan but they lack a certain spark or magic that anything from Gwangi going backwards had. Clash Of The Titans was a step up, but aside from the Gorgon sequence the movie just doesn't click with me and remains my least favorite film in Harryhausen's feature filmography.

There's definitely a Saturday afternoon matinee cheapness about them, but they have great sentimental value for me. I remember seeing Tiger sometime in the early 80s, probably around the time Clash came out, with my dad. I'm sure it's the same with a lot of people.

[Partyslammer]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

There's definitely a Saturday afternoon matinee cheapness about them, but they have great sentimental value for me. I remember seeing Tiger sometime in the early 80s, probably around the time Clash came out, with my dad. I'm sure it's the same with a lot of people.

I saw One Millions Years BC, the last two Sinbads and Clash Of The Titans during their initial theatrical runs. OMYBC left a *huge* impression on my then-7 year old mind. The Sinbads, not so much and I distinctly recall being let down by Clash Of The Titans, especially by the R2D2 rip-off mechanical owl.

[CraigThom]

Originally Posted by Partyslammer

I agree. I'm not much of a fan of Harryhausen's last 3 movies. Not coincidently, the last 3 movies suffer in part due to not having a solid, epic soundtrack score from someone like Bernard Herrmann or even Laurie Johnson.

With the two Sinbad flicks, there's a noticeable sense of 70's cheapness about the live action scenes. Obviously, there's the few major animated set pieces in both movies that make the films worth watching if you're a diehard Harryhausen fan but they lack a certain spark or magic that anything from Gwangi going backwards had. Clash Of The Titans was a step up, but aside from the Gorgon sequence the movie just doesn't click with me and remains my least favorite film in Harryhausen's feature filmography.

But Clash of the Titans had nudity, because it was made in the early '80s.

I like Jason and the Argonauts and 7th Voyage, but I love Gwangi, 20 Million Miles to Earth, It Came from Beneath the Sea, and Earth vs the Flying Saucers.

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by Partyslammer

I saw One Millions Years BC, the last two Sinbads and Clash Of The Titans during their initial theatrical runs. OMYBC left a *huge* impression on my then-7 year old mind. The Sinbads, not so much and I distinctly recall being let down by Clash Of The Titans, especially by the R2D2 rip-off mechanical owl.

You would have been, what, about 20 by the time Clash came out? If you had been a 7 year old then, I'm sure you would have enjoyed it more. I didn't see OMYBC until adulthood and was kinda *meh* about it. Clearly childhood nostalgia plays a big part in the popularity of these films. I mean we've all seen movies with gratuitious nudity in them, yet people are going apesh*t over the fact that Jane Seymour appears in a slavegirl outfit in Sinbad.

[SpartanIre]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

There's definitely a Saturday afternoon matinee cheapness about them, but they have great sentimental value for me. I remember seeing Tiger sometime in the early 80s, probably around the time Clash came out, with my dad. I'm sure it's the same with a lot of people.

This. Exactly the same with me...

[RalphoR]

Maybe getting the last three Harryhausen films on blu with 5.1 HD Master Audio will help. Gwangi is still my favorite and can't wait for its release on blu. A Jerome Moross isolated soundtrack would be out of this world.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by RalphoR

Maybe getting the last three Harryhausen films on blu with 5.1 HD Master Audio will help. Gwangi is still my favorite and can't wait for its release on blu. A Jerome Moross isolated soundtrack would be out of this world.

isn't Gwangi a Warner's release - maybe they'll do a BD-R release - I'd buy it.

[jws]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

There's definitely a Saturday afternoon matinee cheapness about them, but they have great sentimental value for me. I remember seeing Tiger sometime in the early 80s, probably around the time Clash came out, with my dad. I'm sure it's the same with a lot of people.

It's the same childhood sentimental value for me. These were both among my childood favorites. I haven't seen Tiger in a couple of decades but I think it will still hold up for me as well as Clash has. I won't hesitate to pre-order the two Sinbad movies when TT puts them up.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

isn't Gwangi a Warner's release - maybe they'll do a BD-R release - I'd buy it.

The Valley of Gwanji is in the Warner Archive. Since Warner is now slowly starting to mine their archive for blu-ray releases, Gwanji just might show up if the elements do not need extensive work. Gwanji is my second favorite Harryhausen film after Jason and the Argonauts.

[RalphoR]

Yes, you're all correct about Gwangi being a Warner movie. I was just wishing the movie would come out on Blu-ray soon. Warner Archives might be our only hope for Gwangi and "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" but since most of Ray's movies have come out there might still be good a chance.

TT should be issuing "First Men in the Moon" and "The Three Worlds of Gulliver" at some point I would think. Do they have access to Fox movies and "One Million Years, B.C."?

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by RalphoR

Yes, you're all correct about Gwangi being a Warner movie. I was just wishing the movie would come out on Blu-ray soon. Warner Archives might be our only hope for Gwangi and "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" but since most of Ray's movies have come out there might still be good a chance.

TT should be issuing "First Men in the Moon" and "The Three Worlds of Gulliver" at some point I would think. Do they have access to Fox movies and "One Million Years, B.C."?

Yep, they release Fox titles too. Unlike Sony, Fox still releases catalogue titles so, ideally, I would rather they release it but seeing as TT is really into releasing Harryhausen stuff, I would say it's they could release it too.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

isn't Gwangi a Warner's release - maybe they'll do a BD-R release - I'd buy it.

Warner Archive's Blu-rays are not BD-Rs, but pressed BDs. AACS doesn't allow for it.

Originally Posted by RalphoR

Yes, you're all correct about Gwangi being a Warner movie. I was just wishing the movie would come out on Blu-ray soon. Warner Archives might be our only hope for Gwangi and "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" but since most of Ray's movies have come out there might still be good a chance.

TT should be issuing "First Men in the Moon" and "The Three Worlds of Gulliver" at some point I would think. Do they have access to Fox movies and "One Million Years, B.C."?

Originally Posted by baheidstu

Yep, they release Fox titles too. Unlike Sony, Fox still releases catalogue titles so, ideally, I would rather they release it but seeing as TT is really into releasing Harryhausen stuff, I would say it's they could release it too.

For OMYBC Hammer Films controls the rights, Fox distributes. So TT would have to negotiate their own deal. I read they just restored it (and the other Hammer films) so a BD should look great.

[dsman71]

If OMYBC comes out I hope it will be the uncut version that Warner put out overseas. Ill take extra dino footage on DVD than less on blu ray

[Dex Robinson]

Fox remains the great mystery for me.

They let Twilight Time have something like JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH but they release a lot relatively minor catalogue title themselves.

Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted with those minor catalogue titles from Fox and I buy most them. However, I would have liked to be in the room when some guy said, "It's not worth it for us to release JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH but I think we can make a killing with A LETTER TO THREE WIVES".

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by Dex Robinson

Fox remains the great mystery for me.

They let Twilight Time have something like JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH but they release a lot relatively minor catalogue title themselves.

Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted with those minor catalogue titles from Fox and I buy most them. However, I would have liked to be in the room when some guy said, "It's not worth it for us to release JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH but I think we can make a killing with A LETTER TO THREE WIVES".

Yes, Fox is strange. They release plenty enough catalogue of their own, but then they've got stuff licenced out to TT and yet more stuff licenced out to Anchor Bay/Starz.

From interviews I have read, and this could be pure speculation on my part, but my impression is that the studios provide TT with a big list of titles they're willing to licence and TT cherry picks what they want. Who knows, A Letter To Three Wives could have been on that list too. I'm amazed that Fox released In Old Arizona on blu-ray. Apart from the Best Actor Oscar win, I don't really see there being a whole lot of appeal for that one, yet there it is on the shelves at HMV.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by dsman71

If OMYBC comes out I hope it will be the uncut version that Warner put out overseas. Ill take extra dino footage on DVD than less on blu ray

I agree.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Warner Archive's Blu-rays are not BD-Rs, but pressed BDs. AACS doesn't allow for it.

oops - my bad.

[onetet]

Perhaps this has already been mentioned, but in response to a question on their Facebook page yesterday about the original Rollerball, TT said that title would be very likely in 2014.

[Jobla]

I really hope that happens, since the old DVD of ROLLERBALL 1975 was non-anamorphic. Like THE ABYSS, the DVD of ROLLERBALL was taken from the old, old laserdisc master.