The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) - Blu-ray Forum

ShellOilJunior · 05-31-2018, 10:41 PM

The Magnificent Ambersons Blu-ray

Criterion's May newsletter that was sent out this afternoon dropped this clue. Another blu-ray courtesy of the Criterion-Warner Bros. licensing deal. Great news!

dig311dug · 06-01-2018, 01:21 AM

they found the OG cut of the film?

nitin · 06-01-2018, 01:59 AM

Even in its truncated form, this is a masterpiece so happy to get whatever is possible.

Dailyan · 06-01-2018, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dig311dug

they found the OG cut of the film?

That would be...magnificent.

noirjunkie · 06-01-2018, 02:12 AM

This makes me so happy. Hopefully, they'll include the commentary track from their LD release.

stepeanut · 06-01-2018, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dig311dug

they found the OG cut of the film?

I very much doubt it. If the lost footage had been found, this would be mainstream news. The best we can hope for is a clean, sharp, well-contrasted transfer and a good selection of extras telling the tortured history of the film.

Happy to be proven wrong, of course.

The Sovereign · 06-01-2018, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stepeanut

I very much doubt it. If the lost footage had been found, this would be mainstream news. The best we can hope for is a clean, sharp, well-contrasted transfer and a good selection of extras telling the tortured history of the film.

Happy to be proven wrong, of course.

I agree - very doubtful a discovery like that would have escaped wider attention. Still, if we can get the other qualities that you mentioned, I'll be quite happy with it.

professorwho · 06-01-2018, 02:15 AM

I hope it isn't a Digipak exclusive release. I'd prefer to have an actual case.

Stanis · 06-01-2018, 02:22 AM

Still never seen it, glad to finally get to!

lilboyblu · 06-01-2018, 02:30 AM

Great news! Hope it’s before the end of the year. Was just looking at that Japanese Blu-ray again the other day.

Questjonmark · 08-22-2018, 05:24 PM

Actually a quick reply to your profile pic. Just happened to vid Beetlejuice for the 1st time this century last night and this looks like the scenario behind the door of lost souls(?)

Majin Blu · 08-28-2018, 12:03 AM

The film is just starting on TCM, for those interested.

Gacivory · 06-01-2018, 02:34 AM

If they somehow found the original cut and kept it quiet, this would immediately jumpy to top 5 release of theirs of all time.

dex14 · 06-01-2018, 02:37 AM

Wellesnet has confirmed Criterion acquired the home video rights to the film from Warner Bros. in early 2016 and has since been working on a DVD / Blu-ray release.

spanky87 · 06-01-2018, 10:38 AM

Hell yeah. Give me Agnes Moorehead's virtuoso performance in all it's HD glory.

DVD Phreak · 08-16-2018, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spanky87

Hell yeah. Give me Agnes Moorehead's virtuoso performance in all it's HD glory.

The Magnificent Ambersons-Boiler Room Scene - YouTube

But much of this scene was re-shot by the studio against Welles' wishes, so everything in it, including Moore's acting, represents a compromised version of Welles' best effort. The unaltered portion starts at 2:17. Welles' trademarks of deep-focus photography, chiaroscuro light and shadows, etc. are on display whereas earlier in the scene they aren't. The blurry Youtube video may not show it best, but you will see it better on the Blu-ray.

DVD Phreak · 08-16-2018, 03:54 PM

Here is a clip of Robert Carringer's excellent audio commentary explaining how studio tampering ruined the film (which is much of the commentary's theme). This pretty remarkable example shows two actors facing each other who were actually shot at two different times, one by Welles with all its visual trademarks, and the other by the studio with its generically-lit setting.

A clip of "Pampered Youth" that you will see on the Blu-ray:

Missing on the Blu-ray will be the original shooting script on the Criterion laserdisc.

I hope the BD will at least show some surviving stills of Welles' original sad ending.

Mr. Thomsen · 06-01-2018, 11:19 AM

I do not think I have seen TMA since the late 1980's on local TV, so can anyone explain the clue in the drawing to me?

biglou114 · 06-01-2018, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Thomsen

I do not think I have seen TMA since the late 1980's on local TV, so can anyone explain the clue in the drawing to me?

It’s a pun. The And symbol is technically called an ampersand. The jewels around it are magnificent; The Magnificent Ampersands.

profholt82 · 06-01-2018, 03:08 PM

Wonderful news. Heck, I was excited back in 2011 or 2012 when it was finally released on dvd. I had been nursing an old VHS copy from the 80s prior to that. Great to see that this Welles classic will finally be receiving a proper treatment. But I won't hold my breath for any of the original footage notoriously destroyed by RKO.

For those interested, there is an excellent book by author Robert Carringer entitled 'The Magnificent Ambersons: A Reconstruction' which uses many original sources to show us what the movie originally looked like, including the script, storyboards, stills, notes, et cetera. It's highly recommended reading for any serious Welles fan.

05-31-2018, 10:41 PM	#1
ShellOilJunior Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Mar 2009 Location:USA Blu-ray reviews:3 Trading Score:10	The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) The Magnificent Ambersons Blu-ray Criterion's May newsletter that was sent out this afternoon dropped this clue. Another blu-ray courtesy of the Criterion-Warner Bros. licensing deal. Great news! Last edited by Deciazulado; 11-23-2018 at 09:21 AM.

06-01-2018, 01:21 AM	#2
dig311dug Blu-ray Guru Top contributor Member since:Mar 2013 4K collection:427 Blu-ray collection:6183 Trading Score:73	they found the OG cut of the film?

06-01-2018, 01:59 AM	#3
nitin Blu-ray Knight Top contributor Member since:Feb 2010 Trading Score:9	Even in its truncated form, this is a masterpiece so happy to get whatever is possible.

06-01-2018, 02:12 AM	#5
noirjunkie Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Jul 2012 4K collection:127 Blu-ray collection:4169 DVD collection:692 Blu-ray reviews: 2 Trading Score:699	This makes me so happy. Hopefully, they'll include the commentary track from their LD release.

06-01-2018, 02:15 AM	#8
professorwho Blu-ray Champion Top contributor Member since:Apr 2017 4K collection:229 Blu-ray collection:982 Blu-ray reviews: 64 Trading Score:7	I hope it isn't a Digipak exclusive release. I'd prefer to have an actual case.

06-01-2018, 02:22 AM	#9
Stanis Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Dec 2016 4K collection:- Blu-ray collection:- DVD collection:- MA collection:- Digital collection:- iTunes collection:- Prime collection:- Trading Score:23	Still never seen it, glad to finally get to!

06-01-2018, 02:30 AM	#10
lilboyblu Blu-ray Knight Top contributor Member since:Apr 2010 4K collection:- Blu-ray collection:- DVD collection:- Trading Score:19	Great news! Hope it’s before the end of the year. Was just looking at that Japanese Blu-ray again the other day.

08-22-2018, 05:24 PM	#11
Questjonmark Member Member since:Oct 2016 Location:British Columbia, Canada	Actually a quick reply to your profile pic. Just happened to vid Beetlejuice for the 1st time this century last night and this looks like the scenario behind the door of lost souls(?)

08-28-2018, 12:03 AM	#12
Majin Blu Blu-ray Samurai Top contributor Member since:Mar 2011 Location:North Carolina Home Theater Gallery:3 4K collection:328 Blu-ray collection:1809 DVD collection:186 Trading Score:325	The film is just starting on TCM, for those interested.

06-01-2018, 02:34 AM	#13
Gacivory Blu-ray Archduke Top contributor Member since:Apr 2016 Location:Los Angeles, California 4K collection:1120 Blu-ray collection:5609 DVD collection:183 Digital collection:25 Trading Score:1	If they somehow found the original cut and kept it quiet, this would immediately jumpy to top 5 release of theirs of all time.

06-01-2018, 02:37 AM	#14
dex14 Blu-ray Guru Top contributor Member since:Jul 2011 Trading Score:132	Wellesnet has confirmed Criterion acquired the home video rights to the film from Warner Bros. in early 2016 and has since been working on a DVD / Blu-ray release.

06-01-2018, 11:19 AM	#18
Mr. Thomsen Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Dec 2010 Location:Denmark 4K collection:246 Blu-ray collection:3141 DVD collection:293	I do not think I have seen TMA since the late 1980's on local TV, so can anyone explain the clue in the drawing to me?

06-01-2018, 03:08 PM	#20
profholt82 Special Member Member since:Apr 2011 Location:Michigan 4K collection:198 Blu-ray collection:1019 Trading Score:16	Wonderful news. Heck, I was excited back in 2011 or 2012 when it was finally released on dvd. I had been nursing an old VHS copy from the 80s prior to that. Great to see that this Welles classic will finally be receiving a proper treatment. But I won't hold my breath for any of the original footage notoriously destroyed by RKO. For those interested, there is an excellent book by author Robert Carringer entitled 'The Magnificent Ambersons: A Reconstruction' which uses many original sources to show us what the movie originally looked like, including the script, storyboards, stills, notes, et cetera. It's highly recommended reading for any serious Welles fan.

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