"Scrooge" (1951) Alastair Sim - November 2015

[abudgell]

This was originally posted by Douglas R on the HTF. According to Renown Pictures' newsletter, the BFI have funded a new 2K restoration of "Scrooge" starring Alastair Sim. It will debut on Blu-ray from Renown Pictures in November and will be their first Blu-ray release.

Some exciting news we have been given some funding by The BFI for a complete 2k transfer from the original film negs of SCROOGE (1951 Sim and Cole etc) so Renown are trying our first Blu Ray in November of Scrooge in Black & White and a fully restored DVD of the film in both B&W and Colour.

It will be interesting to see what kind of an improvement will be made over the VCI Blu-ray release. Renown's DVDs seem to be region free, so fingers crossed fans from across the pond who love this film will be able to watch it without a region free player.

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by abudgell

This was originally posted by Douglas R on the HTF. According to Renown Pictures' newsletter, the BFI have funded a new 2K restoration of "Scrooge" starring Alastair Sim. It will debut on Blu-ray from Renown Pictures in November and will be their first Blu-ray release.



It will be interesting to see what kind of an improvement will be made over the VCI Blu-ray release. Renown's DVDs seem to be region free, so fingers crossed fans from across the pond who love this film will be able to watch it without a region free player.

Renown's DVDs generally have poor picture and sound (heavily DNRed standards conversions from NTSC in some cases, sometimes in the wrong aspect ratio), so this is probably the only time they've had a decent enough master to do a BD. But with such poor quality control I'd wait to see some reviews.

[abudgell]

Originally Posted by Aclea

Renown's DVDs generally have poor picture and sound (heavily DNRed standards conversions from NTSC in some cases, sometimes in the wrong aspect ratio), so this is probably the only time they've had a decent enough master to do a BD. But with such poor quality control I'd wait to see some reviews.

I would hope with the BFI's grant this will be something special. But as you say, we'll have to wait and see.

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by abudgell

I would hope with the BFI's grant this will be something special. But as you say, we'll have to wait and see.

If not, VCI's second release was excellent quality, filled with extras and is region-free.

[abudgell]

Originally Posted by Aclea

If not, VCI's second release was excellent quality, filled with extras and is region-free.

Yes, after years of suffering through muddy releases, it's better than I thought the film would ever look. I'm cautiously optimistic that the Renown release will be an even bigger improvement.

[Gizz]

About time to really enjoy this film so will be looking forward to picking this up.

[McCrutchy]

I'm again puzzled as to why BFI chose not to restore and release this one themselves. I'm sure they can't or won't directly release everything they touch, but given the high status of this film, and the fact that it has suffered through many discreet releases from independent distributors, I should have thought it was time to bring this into the BFI lineup where it arguably belongs. Unless I'm wrong and Renown has some eccentric benfactor(s) I don't know about.

It's sad to see this presented as if it were some public domain film again.

[Douglas R]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

I'm again puzzled as to why BFI chose not to restore and release this one themselves. I'm sure they can't or won't directly release everything they touch, but given the high status of this film, and the fact that it has suffered through many discreet releases from independent distributors, I should have thought it was time to bring this into the BFI lineup where it arguably belongs.

The film was made by Renown Pictures and Renown Pictures hold the rights. The BFI have no claim on it.

[Erik Morton]

Oh wow. I don't normally post about things like cover art (heck, I don't normally post at all). But THAT?!?!?

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by Douglas R

The film was made by Renown Pictures and Renown Pictures hold the rights. The BFI have no claim on it.

I am aware that the film is a Renown property and that BFI have no "claim" on the film.

But it's surprising that Renown are releasing this themselves anyway, as I doubt many more of their titles--even the ones that are BD ready with HD masters available--are going to come from them on Blu-ray, especially in the UK market. Not if they're just making the start at the end of 2015. And I don't see the point of paying the licensing and authoring fees if you're only going to end up with a handful of titles at best.

But I'll be happy to be proven wrong.

[abudgell]

It's now up for preorder on Amazon UK for an exorbitant £38.34. I hope it's a mistake.

I Tweeted Renown and asked them if it would be region free and they said they would get back to me closer to the release date.

[McCrutchy]

Added to the database:

[Opdef]

That cover is the funniest thing I have ever seen.

[abudgell]

I follow the Facebook page for Renown Pictures, and a Scrooge related post popped up in my feed yesterday. I noticed a comment on the post from someone asking Renown to license the 2K restoration of the film to the BFI for a Blu-ray release, to which a woman named Sarah Cronin-Stanley, who is employed by Renown, responded saying that Renown owns the film outright and doesn't need to license it. She seemed to be a bit confused, so I clarified his comment to her, saying that fans of the film would like to see Renown license the film to a label who would release the 2K restoration on Blu-ray and that many were disappointed when their announced Blu-ray of the film was abruptly cancelled two years ago. I received two responses from her saying:

Andy I can count on one hand the amount of people that ask me for a blu Ray...

we wouldn’t sell enough to warrant the cost

Discouraging, but I encourage anyone who happens to be on Facebook to chime in if they're so inclined to show her that there is interest in seeing the restoration on Blu-ray. Here's the link to the post: https://www.facebook.com/RenownPictu...77278619076808

[Troubled Spirit]

Both the colour and B&W versions of Scrooge from Renown are dreadful and its the same for Tom Browns Schooldays and the Pickwick Papers. The colour versions particularly look to be video transfers and from NTSC at that so they are terrible. The B&W version of TBS at least seems to be a film source and is bearable to view.

I got the US Bluray of Scrooge which seems the best quality at the moment

[abudgell]

Originally Posted by Troubled Spirit

Both the colour and B&W versions of Scrooge from Renown are dreadful and its the same for Tom Browns Schooldays and the Pickwick Papers. The colour versions particularly look to be video transfers and from NTSC at that so they are terrible. The B&W version of TBS at least seems to be a film source and is bearable to view.

I got the US Bluray of Scrooge which seems the best quality at the moment

Their previous DVD releases looked dreadful, but they received some funding and, with the help of the BFI, restored the film from the original elements in 2015. A Blu-ray release of this restoration was announced and then abruptly cancelled without explanation. I have the VCI release as well and while it's better than I ever thought the film would look on disc, I think the 2K restoration would look even better.

[John Hodson]

Originally Posted by abudgell

...Discouraging, but I encourage anyone who happens to be on Facebook to chime in if they're so inclined to show her that there is interest in seeing the restoration on Blu-ray. Here's the link to the post: https://www.facebook.com/RenownPictu...77278619076808

Looks like it's been deleted?

[abudgell]

Originally Posted by John Hodson

Looks like it's been deleted?

It has! Bah humbug!

[Shingster]

It wasn't just her that was making ignorant comments about Blu-ray tbh in fairness, there was someone else under the general renown pictures banner who made a comment like "only 9,999 left" when someone said "I'd buy 10 copies right off the bat if they released a BD", so I would say Renown picture really don't have much of a clue about the enduring popularity and demand of Blu-ray, although I can understand their reticence to actually produce a BD release given the costs.

I posted on their page and within five minutes it went down, so not sure if mine was the straw that broke it tbh! Didn't say anythig rude or aggressive though, just replied to their PR agent's comment that the BD release wasn't worth the cost involved that "that's why people have suggested you sub-license it, at the end of the day you're never going to make money from HD distribution rights that never lead to a BD release and sub-licensing out to BFI ensures that you don't deny the fans the chance to own the film in said format."

[JamesM]

I cannot understand Renown's reluctance to tread the Blu-ray waters. If a compnay like Panamint can put out releases on Blu-ray then I cannot see why Renown cannot. After all, Renown actually own feature films and therefore have no license costs.