South Pacific 1958.. how frequent are the color filters?

[movie]

Originally Posted by Popcorn_Bliss

Although this is off-topic from 70mm or Todd-AO, all this reminds me how much I'd also love to see Blue Hawaii 1961 on blu-ray!

It's one of my favorites as well and love the beauty of the Hawaiian scenery in that one too! And the cute Joan Blackman as well...

That would be an instant buy for me, just for the scenery alone.

[garyrc]

Did they use a little or a lot of digital processing, like DNR, on South Pacific? It was probably not required, since Mitzi Gaynor had a lot of makeup caked on (which one could see occasionaly in Todd-AO), and the other actors had great, unmasked faces!

[Ernest Rister]

I love the use of color in South Pacific. I thought the experiment brave and I appreciate it greatly. Even if we don't neccessarily agree with brave choices in art, I think we should all at least respect the risks taken...that's how the language of film is expanded, year after year -- someone does something no one has ever done before, and the world of cinema is enriched by the new information. That doesn't mean the risks worked, but people can turn to that and say - that's how you do what I want to do, or Oh, that didn't really work, let's avoid that.

So I respect people who don't care for the use of color in South Pacific, but I also respect the final product. My favorite films tend to be those who didn't just walk a different path, they are the films that took enormous risks and tried to jump the Snake River Canyon like Evel Knievel -- 2001, Fantasia, Empire of the Sun, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Citizen Kane, American Splendor, JFK, Rashomon, Metropolis, pretty much everything ever done by Scorsese, you get the point. So I can understand why people would be upset by the use of color in South Pacific, but I'm thankful for it.

Speaking personally, I was entertained and thrilled by the ambitious use of filters and lighting in the film. If my wife didn't despise the song "Happy Talk", I'd have purchased it already. I don't mind the song, she is, well....not a fan.

[Wookalar]

Grabbed this and the 3-disc Wizard of Oz at Costco each for $12.99. Gigi also looks great on Blu, but the best (IMO) musical re-release has been The Music Man

[garyrc]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

... My favorite films tend to be those who didn't just walk a different path, they are the films that took enormous risks and tried to jump the Snake River Canyon like Evel Knievel -- 2001, Fantasia, Empire of the Sun, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Citizen Kane, American Splendor, JFK, Rashomon, Metropolis ...

I love the boldness, and the results, in all of the above, except American Splendor, which I haven't seen. I'm putting it on my Netflicks list right now. Thanks!

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Wookalar

Grabbed this and the 3-disc Wizard of Oz at Costco each for $12.99. Gigi also looks great on Blu, but the best (IMO) musical re-release has been The Music Man

I'm waiting for The Private Eyes to see the light of day...Wookalar.

[movie]

I finally watched South Pacific today. It seemed like nearly half the movie was filtered but I really didn't like it. I thought it spoiled the beautiful tropical setting in a big way. The unfiltered parts looked incredible, so for that alone I guess it was worth it. I'd rent first if you are thinking or getting this movie as the filters can be hard on the eyes for some.

[Deciazulado]

Robert Siegel's Silver Screen article on South Pacific

[Chucker]

I wonder if I got a bad disc with certain scenes in the dame song that are flat and then other scenes in the same song that are rich again. Any one else have this same thing? I dont remember this being in the netflix rental I got.

Thx,

Chuck
Minneapolis, MN

[dougotte]

Originally Posted by Chucker

I wonder if I got a bad disc with certain scenes in the dame song that are flat and then other scenes in the same song that are rich again. Any one else have this same thing? I dont remember this being in the netflix rental I got.

Thx,

Chuck
Minneapolis, MN

Can you be more specific? Are you talking about picture, or sound? I don't remember any problems, but I'll go back and check if you can tell us what you mean.

Doug

[Chucker]

Yea, my disc has scenes like in "Nothing Like a Dame" where certain camera shots are super rich in vibrant color the way the blu was intended and then the scene changes to another character and it looks drab and as if I am watching it on a bad tube tv with very subtle color.......Im almost tempted to rent it on netflix again just to check....

Chuck
Minneapolis, MN

[Lyle_JP]

Originally Posted by Chucker

Yea, my disc has scenes like in "Nothing Like a Dame" where certain camera shots are super rich in vibrant color the way the blu was intended and then the scene changes to another character and it looks drab and as if I am watching it on a bad tube tv with very subtle color.......Im almost tempted to rent it on netflix again just to check....

Chuck
Minneapolis, MN

You're not watching the Roadshow version, are you?

[Chucker]

Roadshow version? Is there more than one version of the Blu-ray?

Thx,

Chuck

[Lyle_JP]

Originally Posted by Chucker

Roadshow version? Is there more than one version of the Blu-ray?

Thx,

Chuck

No. There is a Roadshow version in the blu-ray set. On disc 2 I think. It uses work-print for the scenes not found in the general release version, which are of much lower quality and have most of the color faded out of them.

[Musicguy]

I originally put the DVD Roadshow version on thinking it was the blu-ray (I think it was placed on the right side of the case which seemed to be the blu ray side) Then I realized it was the DVD. I put the blu-ray on and the image looked great - but the DVD looked so good I though it was the Blu-ray for a moment!

[Lyle_JP]

Originally Posted by Musicguy

I originally put the DVD Roadshow version on thinking it was the blu-ray (I think it was placed on the right side of the case which seemed to be the blu ray side) Then I realized it was the DVD. I put the blu-ray on and the image looked great - but the DVD looked so good I though it was the Blu-ray for a moment!

I don't think it's a DVD. I think it's standard definition stamped on a blu-ray. Aren't there some HD documentaries on the same disc?

[elbawild]

DAH!
The filtration was done as it was done with the lighting on the Broadway Stage!!

[Chucker]

This is perplexing.....I have a single disc Blu-ray that I bought from Amazon what it was dropped to $10 maybe a year and a half ago. I have scenes (during the nothing like a dame sequence + more) that shift considerably in quality from scene to scene....The ones that are bad are REALLY bad if I remember right, VHS bad.....I'll have to go back and look again, since its been a while I have looked at it.. I think I might have got a wrong disc...... Thanks for refreshing my memory to look at this again...

Chuck
Minneapolis

[garyrc]

Originally Posted by elbawild

DAH!
The filtration was done as it was done with the lighting on the Broadway Stage!!

Since Joshua Logan finally decided that he would like the filters removed, although it was impractical at the time, I think the next Blu-ray (or better) package should include a disk with the filters digitally removed, if that is really possible, as well as one with the filters in place. Logan's change of mind could be explained in the Special Features.

To me, the filters were just plain bad! One of the most beautiful locations in the world was cheapened by the filters. The music/lyrics would have provided the fantasy element. Oklahoma! (and, later, The Sound of Music) demonstrated that the ultra-realism of Todd-AO worked well with musicals. Granted, Oklahoma! had a presentational dream sequence that was not realistic, but the design of the dance venue was in keeping with the fantastic nature of the sequence ... they didn't just plop a filter over the lens when shooting in realistic setting.

[dougotte]

Originally Posted by Chucker

This is perplexing.....I have a single disc Blu-ray that I bought from Amazon what it was dropped to $10 maybe a year and a half ago. I have scenes (during the nothing like a dame sequence + more) that shift considerably in quality from scene to scene....The ones that are bad are REALLY bad if I remember right, VHS bad.....I'll have to go back and look again, since its been a while I have looked at it.. I think I might have got a wrong disc...... Thanks for refreshing my memory to look at this again...

Chuck
Minneapolis

It seems like you have the longer roadshow version. I never watched it on my BD, but it reportedly had much lower quality on the additional scenes.