So Where Is Lawrence of Arabia!!!???

[jmkoch]

Have any other features originally shot in super 70mm Panavision appeared in real-deal BD?

I've read of some BD releases that got bad reviews because the video looks like a mere extrapolation of the 720x480 DVD, with nothing but PCM sound in two channels. Master & Commander, for instance, looks little better in BD than DVD. It would be a rip-off to pay $25 and get no more than what one can see for half that price or less.

Might it be that a real BD version of L of A could not be done without a rather ambitious remastering from film? Might an effort to provide 5-channel or 7-channel sound (from original tapes or by synthesis) entail a rather tough task?

Might the estate of David Lean or the copyright holder be asking for a price that eclipses the likely profits from retail sale?

Finally, would even a 55" plasma screen be able to replicate the splendor or detail of a 55' theater screen?

[BigNickUK]

Originally Posted by McHugh

I think the only David Lean movie on Blu-ray is A Passage to India which is an odd choice to say the least. Besides Lawrence of Arabia, I look forward to seeing The Bridge on the River Kwai, Doctor Zhivago, and Ryan's Daughter on Blu-ray. As you may have already quessed from the graphic under my user name, Lawrence of Arabia is my all time favourite movie. I rate it as the greatest movie of all time.

Great Expectations and Brief Encounter are out in UK on Blu now and are superb transfers.

[Pat Henning]

It's June 19, 2009....Any news...from anybody? A guess?

[DarkDune]

Originally Posted by Charles3669

So Where Is Lawrence of Arabia!!!???

In Intermission

[rtoledo2002]

Originally Posted by Pat Henning

It's June 19, 2009....Any news...from anybody? A guess?

BUMP it's 10/11/2009 close to 2010 need my fix , guess I'll buy the 2 disc set until the blu comes out

[benbess]

I'm another big fan of David Lean. Would also like to see Bridge, Dr. Z, and Ryan's Daughter. They are all wonderful films.

And can I order Great Expectations from amazon uk? Will it work on my us region a machine?

[rtoledo2002]

Originally Posted by benbess

I'm another big fan of David Lean. Would also like to see Bridge, Dr. Z, and Ryan's Daughter. They are all wonderful films.

And can I order Great Expectations from amazon uk? Will it work on my us region a machine?

I'm not familiar with blu drives, but if they are like plain DVd, there were ways to chhange the region like 5 times, then all you do is RE-flash the firmware and it starts at 0 again. do asearch on google how to change the region on blu-ray drives

[benbess]

Originally Posted by rtoledo2002

I'm not familiar with blu drives, but if they are like plain DVd, there were ways to chhange the region like 5 times, then all you do is RE-flash the firmware and it starts at 0 again. do asearch on google how to change the region on blu-ray drives

Thanks rtoledo. Turns out I read a review of Lean's Great Expectations on blu at amazon. It's a terrible print just transferred to blu. In other words, not worth it.

[Kirsty_Mc]

Originally Posted by benbess

Thanks rtoledo. Turns out I read a review of Lean's Great Expectations on blu at amazon. It's a terrible print just transferred to blu. In other words, not worth it.

Must be a grain hater that posted the review. It looks fine to me!!!

[benbess]

Originally Posted by Kirsty_Mc

Must be a grain hater that posted the review. It looks fine to me!!!

Hmmm Kirsty. That's interesting. Maybe that reviewer was off base. The reviewer didn't complain about grain so much as scratches, dust, blurry picture, etc. What are your thoughts on those things? I've enjoyed this movie since I was a kid and it was played on pbs in 1978 when I was about 13. It was my introduction to Dickens, and shortly after that I got the book and enjoyed it.

[Kirsty_Mc]

All I can say is have a look at the reviews on this site... I'm with them as far as this release is concerned. here is grain, but it's totally natural grain. If the reviewer thinks this title is no good, it's remarkable the reviewer wasn't complaining about the big black things at the side!!!

[benbess]

Originally Posted by Kirsty_Mc

All I can say is have a look at the reviews on this site... I'm with them as far as this release is concerned. here is grain, but it's totally natural grain. If the reviewer thinks this title is no good, it's remarkable the reviewer wasn't complaining about the big black things at the side!!!

You're right, Kirsty--the reviews seem quite good. The screen shots already show details that I don't think I'd ever seen. What a good movie it is...

Maybe I'll try to buy it from amazon uk...

Thanks, Ben

[Gargantua-2]

Add me to the list of those anxiously awaiting this release, WHENEVER it arrives. It's definitely my #1 Wish List choice.

[yellowcakeuf6]

BUMP! (with a pound of the fist)

[in2video2]

David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia may be taking longer than we like to materialize on Blu but it's going to be one well-received splendid reference-quality transfer when made available. Meanwhile Doctor Zhivago will be a welcome change of scenery while we wait for our camels to arrive. Truth be told - and this is written - we natives are getting restless...

[benbess]

Originally Posted by in2video2

David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia may be taking longer than we like to materialize on Blu but it's going to be one well-received splendid reference-quality transfer when made available. Meanwhile Doctor Zhivago will be a welcome change of scenery while we wait for our camels to arrive. Truth be told - and this is written - we natives are getting restless...

I think it's actually a pretty mixed bag when it comes to PQ for Lawrence. This is one of the many films where--I think--the studio edited it down and threw some parts of the negative in the trash. In recreating the new director's cut for the theatrical release way back in 1989, they put together all of the best of the surviving elements. In some cases, that meant they could make parts of it as new prints from the original elements--and those parts (maybe 80% of the film, as a guess) looked amazing. The parts that were made from later prints were, if my memory from 20 years ago serves, not that great. They were ok, even for theatrical presentation, but even I could see some weaker areas in terms of pq back then.

I'm as eager as the next person to see Lawrence on blu, because I think it's one of the best films ever made. But, in terms of pq I think we're going to get a mixed bag.

Would love to see Dr. Z. I love that film just as much. And Ryan's Daughter is also quite fine. If anyone else had made just Ryan, they'd acclaim him as a great filmmaker. But since he had all of those other films it just seems to get dismissed and ignored...

[Kirsty_Mc]

I saw a Sony demo clips disc being played in a shop quite a while ago now (the format war was still running) and the PQ looked extremely good. Stunning in fact. I'm just hoping that it was representative of what we will eventually get.

Given what Sony produced with CEOT3K, I remain hopeful... but slighly P'd off as I don't have it in my sticky little mits at the moment.

[McHugh]

Maybe Sony is waiting until 2012, the 50th anniversary of the movie. Hehehe. Other then that, I have no idea why it is not on blu-ray. If any movie should be on blu-ray, its Lawrence of Arabia. I bought my 60" widescreen television and blu-ray player because at the time it was a coming soon blu on the Sony ads. Hopefully it will be 2010 instead of 2012, after all the world is supposed to end in 2012.

[bdrex28]

I'm frustrated by this slightly because it's my favorite movie and because I see all these trash movies that are being released yet this is still on the shelves.

Come on Sony, get with it.

[johndoyle123]

lets be honest
sony suck balls when it comes to delivering what we want

ok they get credit for dr strangelove

but where the hell is
bad boys
loa
bridge over river kwai
on the waterfront
papillon !!