It's a wonderful life

[maynard]

I really want this one.

Can anyone give me some info on the release? Quality, subs and so forth.

Thanks.

[Zippyfan]

It hasnt been released yet. I hope the picture quality is good!

[The Driver]

www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=71545

I notice there is also a colourised or maybe that should be colorized. It'll be interesting to see where the UK distributor -Universal Pictures- got their elements from.

Anyone else not like this film? I tried the SE DVD a few years back and hated it. Maybe I have a cold heart or something but I disliked the lead character. He was an idiot and a thief. I like my thieves to be like Michale Mann's in Heat and Stewart stole from people whose money wouldn't be insured -unlike the money stolen in Heat or our very own bank thieves lately. Just not my bag (I love old movies but just not this one).

Merry Christmas

[Douglas R]

In what sense did the lead character (James Stwart) steal money? Are you sure you actually watched the film?

[quirkmanly]

Originally Posted by The Driver

He was an idiot and a thief........Stewart stole from people whose money wouldn't be insured

Obviously there is another darker cut of this movie that I have never seen.

Originally Posted by Douglas R

Are you sure you actually watched the film?

I'm guessing either no or not very intently.

[The Driver]

Originally Posted by quirkmanly

Obviously there is another darker cut of this movie that I have never seen.

That's the first time I've smiled reading this forum

Didn't he steal money? Maybe I'm misremembering things. I get the B&W Bluray.


From IMDb:
George Bailey spends his entire life giving up his big dreams for the good of his town, Bedford Falls, as we see in flashback. But in the present, on Christmas Eve, he is broken and suicidal over the misplacing of an $8000 loan and the machinations of the evil millionaire, Mr. Potter. His guardian angel, Clarence, falls to Earth, literally, and shows him how his town, family, and friends would turn out if he had never been born. George meant so much to so many people; should he really throw it all away?

[quirkmanly]

Originally Posted by The Driver

That's the first time I've smiled reading this forum

Didn't he steal money? Maybe I'm misremembering things. I get the B&W Bluray.


From IMDb:
George Bailey spends his entire life giving up his big dreams for the good of his town, Bedford Falls, as we see in flashback. But in the present, on Christmas Eve, he is broken and suicidal over the misplacing of an $8000 loan and the machinations of the evil millionaire, Mr. Potter. His guardian angel, Clarence, falls to Earth, literally, and shows him how his town, family, and friends would turn out if he had never been born. George meant so much to so many people; should he really throw it all away?

Uncle Billy, and absent minded employee of the Building and Loan, mislays the money (which is found and kept by the dastardly Mr Potter) on the same day an inspector comes to audit/check the books of the bank. This is what sends George into his spiral.

[Eeeper]

What I find amazing about It's a Wonderful Life is that it originally didn't make a heap of money and wasn't considered a "great" film when it first came out. It's only after repeated (read: endless) showings on TV at Christmas that it began the classic it is today. It remains for me a timeless story and, regardless of extras or colourized versions, it deserves to be on everyone's DVD/BD shelf if only as a relief from the inevitable in-laws.

I, for one, will be buying it in time for Christmas.

All together now:

"Attaboy, Clarence. Attaboy."

[Hintermann]

I have finally decided to upgrade my DVD copy of It's A Wonderful Life but am undecided whether to opt for the standard Blu-ray that includes B/W & colourised versions or go for the 4K?

About 30 years ago I owned the colourised VHS but it was very poor.

[Eidolon]

There are different releases, the one that was in the stores around Christmas last year dropped the colourised version from the UK release. It's on the American release.

On the dvd I have from a few years ago, it claims that the Colorised version is new, which means it may not be the same one on the old Video Collection VHS release. Night of the Living Dead has had at least four different colorised versions that I'm aware of, so it's very possible there's at least two here.

[CouncilSpectre]

It’s been colourised three times. The last version is actually pretty decent. Certainly far from the horror show of the previous two efforts.

For my viewing it depends on who I’m watching it with. If it’s just me, B&W. If it’s with Mrs Spectre, it’s the colour version.

The Longest Day was colourised at some point too, in fact that was the version I saw first!

[UnionJackMix]

Really really will never understand why people insist of putting color where there was none. Movies in black and white, tv shows in black and white, photos in black and white. Do people really have nothing better to do that mess around with original works trying to alter them or update them?
I just don't get it. Maybe someone has a plausible explanation? (other than milking the public for another version)

[BudBaxter]

Originally Posted by UnionJackMix

Really really will never understand why people insist of putting color where there was none. Movies in black and white, tv shows in black and white, photos in black and white. Do people really have nothing better to do that mess around with original works trying to alter them or update them?
I just don't get it. Maybe someone has a plausible explanation? (other than milking the public for another version)

I imagine some TV executive decided 'the kids' wouldn't watch old fashioned black & white movies, so colourisation was the answer.

Quite why any serious movie lover would want one in their collection, let alone choose to watch them over the original is beyond me.

I seem to recall Ted Turner being quite keen on it in the 80s, leading to the classic Gremlins 2 gag; "Tonight on the Clamp Cable Network: Casablanca! Now in full colour, with a happier ending!"

[Buddy Ackerman]

Originally Posted by BudBaxter

Quite why any serious movie lover would want one in their collection... is beyond me.

The same reason any "serious" (what's the criteria for that?) movie lover would want an alternative version - it's part of the film's history. Or just out of curiosity or for completists' sake.

I've got the blu-ray and have only watched the black and white version so far but I'm glad it has the colourized version on there. It's one of my favourite films and I'm curious to see what the conversion did to it.

Wanting to have it included because it exists isn't the same as being a fan of the process.

[moorje]

I watched the colourised version just out of curiosity. Yes it looks off and affects the picture quality as a result. But I get the logic behind why it was done to try and reach as large an audience as possible.

Will I watch it again? Probably not. But it's there and adds to the history of this film.

[BigNickUK]

Originally Posted by Hintermann

I have finally decided to upgrade my DVD copy of It's A Wonderful Life but am undecided whether to opt for the standard Blu-ray that includes B/W & colourised versions or go for the 4K?

About 30 years ago I owned the colourised VHS but it was very poor.

Please use the search function to ensure there is not already a thread for release discussions. Thanks

[Hintermann]

I checked the images on the Beaver, thought about it and decided to opt for the B/W only 4K version.