The Official Network Thread

[oddbox83]

Doing a transfer direct from a negative can cause little bumps at shot changes as it travels though the gate. An interpositive doesn't because it doesn't have physical splices.

In an ideal world you'd use the negative and digitally fix any jumps or patch in those from an interpositive. But then we're already well into restoration territory.

[CinemaScope]

Originally Posted by oddbox83

Doing a transfer direct from a negative can cause little bumps at shot changes as it travels though the gate. An interpositive doesn't because it doesn't have physical splices.

In an ideal world you'd use the negative and digitally fix any jumps or patch in those from an interpositive. But then we're already well into restoration territory.

Oh yes, all sorts of problems. I was told by an engineer that one of the ways they can get over little bumps at shot changes (shrunken cement joins) is to scan the film backwards from tail to head. Also the great thing about an interpos is that is has the original colour grading, & that saves someone doing it from scratch & getting it all wrong (the revisionist look)). However they do it, there's so much work involved, & the overwhelming amount of Blu-rays just look so good.

[HuggyBear73]

Can you buy direct from Network? Can't find their website.

[samdvd1]

http://networkonair.com/

[Dickieduvet]

http://networkonair.com/

[HuggyBear73]

Originally Posted by samdvd1

http://networkonair.com/

Thanks!

[nitin]

in the world of BD distributor speak, 'film elements' does include Interpositives. Only when they say from the 'original camera negative' should it mean exactly that.

eg a lot of Arrow's MGM licensed masters say mastered from 'original film elements' and only a handful of their in house restorations say mastered from 'original camera negative'.

[george n]

....and sometimes they say restored from original negative and its a lie, blue underground 'zombie' springs to mind

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by CinemaScope

Oh yes, all sorts of problems. I was told by an engineer that one of the ways they can get over little bumps at shot changes (shrunken cement joins) is to scan the film backwards from tail to head. Also the great thing about an interpos is that is has the original colour grading, & that saves someone doing it from scratch & getting it all wrong (the revisionist look)). However they do it, there's so much work involved, & the overwhelming amount of Blu-rays just look so good.

Yep, those flashes or bumps at the splices can be an issue for stuff shot anamorphic or 2-perf Techniscope because the frames are right on top of each other so the bumps intrude into the picture area, unlike something shot flat 1.85 which is masked. And those bumps will carry over into whatever elements are derived off of the negative, I've seen several anamorphic movies on video over the years which were cropped slightly at the bottom to cover up the flashes.

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by george n

....and sometimes they say restored from original negative and its a lie, blue underground 'zombie' springs to mind

I'd personally be unwilling to say that was an intentional lie. It was shot Techniscope, so you could technically call the anamorphic 35mm blow-up which all theatrical prints were made from the original negative. That said, thank heavens the original 2-perf camera negative was available for Arrow to use.

[george n]

Originally Posted by oddbox83

I'd personally be unwilling to say that was an intentional lie. It was shot Techniscope, so you could technically call the anamorphic 35mm blow-up which all theatrical prints were made from the original negative. That said, thank heavens the original 2-perf camera negative was available for Arrow to use.

Fair point

[OceanBlue]

A couple of Blu-ray film titles have been added to The British Film and Forthcoming sections on Network's website, Campbell's Kingdom (1957) and Percy's Progress (1974). The release dates are Monday 6th April and Monday 13th April respectively.

[tenia]

Originally Posted by CinemaScope

Also the great thing about an interpos is that is has the original colour grading, & that saves someone doing it from scratch & getting it all wrong (the revisionist look)).

Except that the color grading needs to still be accurate (not having faded, for instance) and that you lose a generation compared to the OCN.

Many people working properly in film restorations will tell you : it's always much better to go back to the OCN when you can because Interpositive usually is the poor man's OCN (save time, save money).

[duggie walker]

They've also announced THE GHOUL, Bond-spoof DEADLIER THAN THE MALE and Laurel and Hardy's FLYING DEUCES.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by tenia

Except that the color grading needs to still be accurate (not having faded, for instance) and that you lose a generation compared to the OCN.

An IP still needs to be graded when it's transferred to video anyway, they're low-con elements designed to be printed down another two generations.

Many people working properly in film restorations will tell you : it's always much better to go back to the OCN when you can because Interpositive usually is the poor man's OCN (save time, save money)

Sure, but not every Blu-ray release has to be some massive rescue effort done at 4K from the negative, as Arrow proved with their Burbs release which looks gorgeous on the back of a 2K scan from an IP.

[BigNickUK]

Originally Posted by duggie walker

They've also announced THE GHOUL, Bond-spoof DEADLIER THAN THE MALE and Laurel and Hardy's FLYING DEUCES.

Yeah, The Ghoul was reported earlier. Fab news about Flying Deuces! Our first Laurel & Hardy blu

[OceanBlue]

Further Blu-ray film titles have been added to Network's website - the Stanley Baker-starring film Robbery (1967), the Alfred Hitchcock-directed film Sabotage (1936), the Nicole Kidman-starring film To Die For (1995) and Without Pity (1948).

There is another Blu-ray title which has been added to Network's website today, but I'm not sure if it's a film or TV title, The Halas & Batchelor Collection.

[rapta]

To Die For by Gus Van Sant? Awesome! Never seen that one but Joaquin Phoenix was in it. I'll definitely get that one assuming the transfer is tidy!

Without Pity sounds interesting too, will keep an eye out for both of those plus the already-announced Laurel & Hardy film!

[Yami]

Great to see another Hitchcock is being upgraded. If I remember rightly, that leaves only The Pleasure Garden, Downhill, Secret Agent and Jamaica Hill un-upgraded from Network's DVD set. They haven't released the ITV-owned Easy Virtue and Waltzes from Vienna on any format.

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by Yami

Great to see another Hitchcock is being upgraded. If I remember rightly, that leaves only The Pleasure Garden, Downhill, Secret Agent and Jamaica Hill un-upgraded from Network's DVD set. They haven't released the ITV-owned Easy Virtue and Waltzes from Vienna on any format.

The BFI restored The Pleasure Garden, and the extensive restored footage apparently changes the film quite dramatically:

http://www.theguardian.com/film/film...leasure-garden

If - and it's a big if - Network do it, hopefully they'll release the restoration as they did with The Lodger, which got really shoddy treatment on that boxed set (like Downhill it didn't even have a score).

Good to see Sabotage, and a widescreen version of Robbery is very welcome news after the fullframe DVD.