Von Ryan's Express (1965) - November 06, 2012 pre-order

[Arkadin]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

Fox generally locks catalog titles. There were quite a few upset UK folks when it was discovered that The Last of the Mohicans is region A locked.

you never know.
Titanic wasn't locked.
(the old movie)
I doubt these will be locked.

[Maggot]

Thank the maker!

[BernieLomax]

Blu-ray captures from the swedish release over here

[HomerJay]

Originally Posted by BernieLomax

Blu-ray captures from the swedish release over here

Thanks for the link. (So many pictures almost need a Spoiler Alert )

Picture quality is not amoung the best blurays unfortunately. Hope the US version is an improvement. I'm tempted to cancel my pre order, no will wait for reviews first.

[rkolinski]

Looking forward to watching this, Guys and Dolls and Sunset Boulevard when they arrive tomorrow!

[CinemaScope]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

Fox generally locks catalog titles. There were quite a few upset UK folks when it was discovered that The Last of the Mohicans is region A locked.

Fox seems to have stopped locking the older catalogue releases in the last few years, but always best to check. I'm hoping the re-release of Patton will be region free, the first release was region A locked.

[Rory]

Unfortunately, the US version of VON RYAN'S EXPRESS is the exact same disc -- except for subtitles and such -- as what was released in Europe. The source materials are probably the best Fox can do sans an extensive and costly restoration, something not likely to happen any time soon. If you're a big fan of this movie, I feel for you. For all others, take it or leave it. The US BD is All-Region, but the remastered PATTON BD is still Region A Locked.

[Member-222782]

Sorry to bring up a tired cliche but I truly believe in "you get what you pay for". For this film, if they're not able to do a proper upgrade then they shouldn't be charging a premium. I paid $16.99 on Amazon for this BD (saw it for $22 at a store). These types of releases (where they didn't do a restoration) shouldn't cost more than $10, $12 at the most. In this case, we're NOT getting what we're paying for. We're not getting quality. Oh well.

[lcsl]

Is it much better than the DVD? i'll wait for a review before I decide on buying this or not.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by cine74

Sorry to bring up a tired cliche but I truly believe in "you get what you pay for". For this film, if they're not able to do a proper upgrade then they shouldn't be charging a premium. I paid $16.99 on Amazon for this BD (saw it for $22 at a store). These types of releases (where they didn't do a restoration) shouldn't cost more than $10, $12 at the most. In this case, we're NOT getting what we're paying for. We're not getting quality. Oh well.

Von Ryan's Express is at Walmart for $12.96 plus tax. Picked it up last night.

Walmart has been pretty reliable about stocking recent Fox catalog titles so I cancelled my amazon order a couple of weeks ago, thinking Wally World would have this in-store. I was right. The one I visited last night had around twenty copies.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by cine74

Sorry to bring up a tired cliche but I truly believe in "you get what you pay for". For this film, if they're not able to do a proper upgrade then they shouldn't be charging a premium. I paid $16.99 on Amazon for this BD (saw it for $22 at a store). These types of releases (where they didn't do a restoration) shouldn't cost more than $10, $12 at the most. In this case, we're NOT getting what we're paying for. We're not getting quality. Oh well.

Mostly true, but that doesn't explain Taxi Driver, which was meticulously restored, looks pristine, and regularly sold for $10 upon release.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by oildude

Von Ryan's Express is at Walmart for $12.96 plus tax. Picked it up last night.

Walmart has been pretty reliable about stocking recent Fox catalog titles so I cancelled my amazon order a couple of weeks ago, thinking Wally World would have this in-store. I was right. The one I visited last night had around twenty copies.

I'll wait for $9.99 or less since it is not an exclusive.

[DB5]

Originally Posted by lcsl

Is it much better than the DVD? i'll wait for a review before I decide on buying this or not.

I always wait for a review first, but I'll also wait for it to be below $10

[sjt]

In this case, we're NOT getting what we're paying for. We're not getting quality.

Think yourself lucky. Here in the UK, we're not getting the thing at all. I've been badgering Fox recently about the ever-lengthening list of their back-catalogue classics never released here - The Grapes of Wrath, Twelve O'Clock High, Miracle on 34th Street, Patton, Butch Cassidy, The Comancheros, The Bible, The River of no Return, There's no Business Like Show Business, at random - only finally to get a terse reply from them informing me that none of these titles are being considered for UK release at any point in the foreseeable future.

And then they've got the brass face to region-lock so many of their US releases. In a word, BASTARDS.

[spearce8]

Originally Posted by sjt

Think yourself lucky. Here in the UK, we're not getting the thing at all.

EXACTLY

Having said that though, it was recently shown on C4HD here in the UK uncut (afternoon showing, a few 'B' words of course) and anamorphic OAR and it was a stunning Picture, so how bad is this transfer?

[CinemaScope]

Originally Posted by spearce8

EXACTLY

Having said that though, it was recently shown on C4HD here in the UK uncut (afternoon showing, a few 'B' words of course) and anamorphic OAR and it was a stunning Picture, so how bad is this transfer?

I'm with Virgin so was able to record & watch this in HD, & it looked good, but it looked like a good DVD, it didn't have that "ping" that HD should have. I don't know what the source for the transfer was, but I suppose you can't expect them to go to the expense of working from the original negs every time. I've recorded & watched a couple of westerns in HD: Shenandoah, Winchester 73, McLintock, & a few other movies, & they really looked great, they looked HD.

[Thus Spake Zathras]

Don't think I've ever seen this film but the blu-ray had me at "Jerry Goldsmith Legacy"!

[Member-222782]

Got my copy yesterday and was able to flip through it - very disappointed in the PQ. To be completely honest, I'm apalled at how ugly it looks. Can't tell the difference between the last DVD and this Blu-ray. I should've just kept the DVD and put my money towards something else. Thanks for nothing, Fox.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by cine74

Got my copy yesterday and was able to flip through it - very disappointed in the PQ. To be completely honest, I'm apalled at how ugly it looks. Can't tell the difference between the last DVD and this Blu-ray. I should've just kept the DVD and put my money towards something else. Thanks for nothing, Fox.

I am going to have to disagree here. I don't have the BD yet, but watched the DVD many times. If the screen captures in the review are accurate then I would say that it's noticeably better than the DVD in terms of color saturation and fine detail.

[yellowcakeuf6]

It looks like a straight transfer with no fuss. Much better than the potential DNR disaster it could have been. Still it's surprising that in 2012 we can't see more of the very possible improvements that the Blu-ray medium has to offer on this title.