Horror of Dracula (Dracula 1958)

[EManT2200]

The info reads "Warner Archive’s new release restores the original color palette of the film, using dye-transfer Technicolor prints as reference, and has been meticulously cleaned of film-related damage for a superior presentation". Does this or does it not say "Warner Archives NEW release", to me this states that WARNER'S new release is the one that will have the original color palette restored. But, then again, what do I know ?

[The Batman Professor]

Originally Posted by JohnCarpenterFan

They didn't though and now people are going to run with this false narrative which is par for the course around here.

Wait until someone says "BD-R" or the dreaded "aspect ratio" kvetching begins

[GrimJester]

Originally Posted by JohnCarpenterFan

They didn't though and now people are going to run with this false narrative which is par for the course around here.

Thanks. I wasn't following the UK announcements back in 2012 so I just took his word for it. I'll have to see a source next time.

[Partyslammer]

Originally Posted by JohnCarpenterFan

Scary how sheepishly people can buy into this trollish nonsense. If people can't understand what the description means then they should refrain from speculating and posting false information, intentionally or not.

Unfortunately when all those with valuable insight and experience are harrassed off this site, all that's left is rambling, hyperbolic and uninformed crap from people who don't even understand the basic fundamentals of what they're talking about. A true shame.

....speaking of hyperbole.

[The Great Owl]

I've never seen a Warner Archive Blu-ray transfer that was anything less than stellar and faithful to the source.

They get down to business and get the job done every single month without blowing their own horn.

I'm expecting the same old same old with Horror of Dracula, and that's a good thing.

[Mystic]

This is good news for those folks who don't have the Region B release. If the WAC release is an upgrade in terms of A/V quality, I will definitely double-dip on this title.

[Jobla]

Those who are concerned about the color palette should just wait for reviews when the disc is released.

[jimqk]

Yeah, every WAC title I own is awesome. This will be awesome, too. Day One guaranteed for me.

[gates70]

Never seen this one.

[GeoffOliver]

When Jeff Nelson of Scream Factory said they have "more Hammer coming," I was expecting them to announce this film at some point since they have a deal with Warner now, but at least it's finally coming out. WAC always does solid work, but I wish there were some bonus features.

[Monterey Jack]

Wonder if this will have the additional censored footage of Drac's disintegration that was found a few years ago.

Shame there are no extras, but this is still incredibly exciting news.

[Rizor]

It's finally coming out!

But I was expecting something a bit more special considering this restoration has been around for 6 years. What was the point of holding off and not including it in the Hammer set or releasing the sequels first if they weren't gonna bother with a new remaster or with new extras? Will wait for reviews. I already have the BFI release. Sounds like this will just be a barbones release of that.

[Partyslammer]

Someone asked on the WAC facebook page “The remark “restores the original color pallet” is confusing, since the color on the UK/B.F.I release was highly controversial with many contending it is too cold/blue. Have you adjusted the color on that master at all, or are you taking the position that the cold pallet is correct and reflects the original release?”

WAC answered: “We didn’t see any cold color pallet in the dye-transfer archival print we used as reference. We have made substantial changes in the color that are far from cold and blue! The image has been thoroughly cleaned of film damage as well. We think these improvements will be appreciated. Thanks.”

......So fingers crossed.

[SMOOT]

Originally Posted by GrimJester

Ah I get it, they are pushing the narrative that the revision BFI made was the "original colors". That is disappointing. Guess I'll be sticking with my Anolis only then.

No, they are not. Here is what they said on Facebook Warner Archive Collection:

"
Warner Archive Collection
"
We didn't see any cold color palette in the dye-transfer archival print we used as reference.
We have made substantial changes in the color that are far from cold and blue! The image has been thoroughly cleaned of film damage as well.
We think these improvements will be appreciated. Thanks."

I think the colors will look much like the new HD that TCM-HD aired last month.
It had never looked that way on TCM before.
It was the best that I have even seen on any television broadcast. More reds and not all the cold & pale blue of the BFI Blu-ray. Looked really good.

[Richard--W]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I've never seen a Warner Archive Blu-ray transfer that was anything less than stellar and faithful to the source.

They get down to business and get the job done every single month without blowing their own horn.

I'm expecting the same old same old with Horror of Dracula, and that's a good thing.

Warner Home Video has a bad track record with the color timing of back catalog titles. The Searchers, for example and many others. But in truth I haven't seen those browning and yellowing mistakes in Warner Archive releases, so maybe a different pair of eyes are doing the work. Maybe there's no reason to be concerned about Fisher and Grant's monochromatic color. There's no teal or blue tinting in the film; it's in the art direction. I'm going to ask a collector I know if he can put his 35mm IB tech reels across his scanner.

Originally Posted by Rizor

It's finally coming out!

But I was expecting something a bit more special considering this restoration has been around for 6 years. What was the point of holding off and not including it in the Hammer set or releasing the sequels first if they weren't gonna bother with a new remaster or with new extras? Will wait for reviews. I already have the BFI release. Sounds like this will just be a barbones release of that.

I was expecting, or at least hoping for, a new scan and some kind of special packaging that the film and occasion merits. Dracula Has Risen From the Grave, Taste the Blood of Dracula, Dracula A.D. 1972 and The Satanic Rites of Dracula are new 2K / 4K scans. Horror of Dracula is the hi-def scan made 7-8 years ago. That's the difference in what we'll be seeing. Warner Brothers didn't let the BFI work with an IB tech print to find the right color in grading terms. So this should look accurate although not as fine as a 2K / 4K scan.

I think I'll go watch the BFI / Hammer disc now.

[GeoffOliver]

I'm pretty sure Warner Archive is run by a different team than Warner Home Video, so I wouldn't use any WHV releases as any kind of guide for what to expect.

[Richard--W]

Originally Posted by GeoffOliver

I'm pretty sure Warner Archive is run by a different team than Warner Home Video, so I wouldn't use any WHV releases as any kind of guide for what to expect.

Except in terms of the scan. Warner's highly regarded Imaging Lab does the scanning for both Warner Archive and Warner Home Video as well for many other feature films and home videos. It's in the finishing where things can go wrong.

It's disappointing that Horror of Dracula won't be getting the same state-of-the-art scan that its sequels got. It's the best of them, a ground-breaker and a milestone in its own right.

[CinemaScope]

Ha, well at least we won't have a year of this, like we did with 2001. All questions should be answered in a month or two.

[JohnCarpenterFan]

Originally Posted by Partyslammer

....speaking of hyperbole.

I wish. It's publicly known on here that several insiders have been harrassed off this site for going against the delusional groupthink bubble, for posting concrete information that goes against the agenda of those who would love to make their ignorant and ubtrue statementa appear as fact.

What some people don't know is that there were plenty of other insiders who didn't make themselves known who were also forced off this site by people rudely spamming their inbox attempting to educate them on "blanket tints" and other crap that doesn't apply in the professional domain.

I've been given death threats for posting solid proof to back up my claims. This shit is nuts, go to any other forum dealing with film/home video where insiders freely post and you won't read 1/100th of the ill-informed garbage you read here.

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by Richard--W

It's disappointing that Horror of Dracula won't be getting the same state-of-the-art scan that its sequels got. It's the best of them, a ground-breaker and a milestone in its own right.

IIRC, it was restored in two ways by the BFI: Photochemically and what was likely 2K at the time.

I've heard the old-fashioned photochemical restoration was disappointing and the digital master is better. So if all this is true, they can rescan the newer film master, use the supposedly better digital restoration or do quite a heavy restoration all over again from scratch - not so easy since IIRC Warner didn't hold all the elements. They've obviously decided the existing digital master is the best to use here with additional work.