Lionsgate International

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rockysds
Joined: Wed May 19, 2010 11:25 am
Location: Denmark

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1 Post by rockysds » Fri Dec 28, 2012 5:18 am

Blu-ray of Terence Fisher's "Dracula" in March.
Terence Fisher's 1958 classic Dracula, fully restored in High Definition and available on Blu-ray and DVD for the first time.

The release will contain two versions of the feature, seamlessly branched on the Blu-ray - the 2007 BFI restoration plus the 2012 Hammer restoration, which adds additional footage that has been unavailable for decades.

The additional footage comprises two of the scenes that were originally censored by the BBFC in 1958 that have now been restored to the film from the “Japanese reels”:

• Dracula’s seduction of Mina
• Dracula’s sunlight disintegration

These will be the most complete versions ever released and taken together fully deserving of the description "definitive".

Dracula has been unavailable on any UK home entertainment format for many years. This release will be at the correct aspect ratio of 1.66:1 which has never been available for the home.

Available on 3-disc Double Play, the pack comprises 1 x Blu-ray and 2 x DVD, the release also includes brand new featurettes, a new commentary track, multiple bonus extras and a stills show.

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Finch
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:09 pm
Location: Edinburgh, UK

Lionsgate International

#2 Post by Finch » Thu Feb 21, 2013 4:58 pm

Early review of the Dracula BD here
Given the comments about the grade by the BFI's Ben Thompson on the restoration documentary and by historian Marcus Hearn and critic Jonathan Rigby on the commentary (they refer to a bluer grade several times in their conversation), viewers may find this transfer's grading and colour palette somewhat unfamiliar. For example, the shot of Valerie Gaunt lying in the tomb prior to her staking, Harker's retreat from Dracula, Cushing's arrival at the tavern and the sequence at Lucy's tomb all offer a combination of strikingly different blue colour timing and deep blacks.

The highlights of Gaunt's face emerge from a very deep and dark blue background and colour definition of her hair, for example, is somewhat buried in the image. Carol Marsh is also bathed in blue at the Holmwood crypt. Interiors are also much darker than before and the inn, Van Helsing's hotel room and the Holmwood house and bedrooms feel dimmer and full of deep shadows. The hues in the colour grade are much cooler too. The only other drawback I would mention is that perhaps some details in faces and the set decor do tend to disappear into shadow.

That said, I will gladly agree that the screencaps here don't represent its full glory and the more I've watched this the more I've enjoyed it. The image in motion is certainly very agreeable in the amount of detail in faces, clothes and set decor it provides. There is plenty of grain evident and combined with the layers of deep contrast this provides the transfer with a thick texture and depth. This is a much more robust presentation in comparison to the recent release of The Curse of Frankenstein and the BFI's access to Dracula's camera negative back in 2007 clearly paid dividends. The transfer is spotless and overall the image is stable. Quality does drop here and there - Lucy's staking betrays a minor bit of flicker in the image, for example - and, naturally, the footage rescued from Japan is given away by its loser grain structure and colour variation. However, it is expertly integrated and a delight to see.

Colour is still impressive even though the timing here is quite different from the gaudier palette of the Warner DVD, especially in the way the transfer picks up cinematographer Jack Asher's penchant for juxtaposing reds and greens. In Van Helsing's room, for example, the walls are far greener than they were and there's a dynamic contrast with the red stripes of the upholstery and Van Helsing's wine coloured smoking jacket. The red cover of Harker's diary, Harker's blue jacket and the red, green and blue schemes in his Castle Dracula bedroom are quite lush and pop out from the image. The turquoise blue of Lucy's gown is full of green highlights as is the green velvet jacket worn by Mina.

This transfer facilitates a certain mood, of course, and having not seen the 2007 BFI restoration on the big screen it's not possible for me to confirm that this represents both the vividness of that theatrical presentation or indeed its parity with the original intentions for exhibition in 1958. Highlights and colour are very different from previous television and DVD screenings I'm acquainted with, where the image was much warmer, and the grading of this restoration may well prove divisive for some with its colder, funereal tone.

Sonically, this sounds terrific and the LPCM 2.0 audio is suitably dynamic and intense when James Bernard's booming score is in full flight. His music really benefits from the restoration and it thunders across the soundscape with some depth. Dialogue and sound effects are served equally well and there are no major problems, such as audio drop outs, crackles or distortions, to report.

michaelgsmith
Joined: Wed May 12, 2010 1:13 pm
Location: Chicago
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Re: Lionsgate International

#3 Post by michaelgsmith » Mon May 06, 2013 9:03 am

I review the Lionsgate Blu-ray of DRACULA at my blog. I am impressed: http://whitecitycinema.com/2013/05/06/blu-hammer/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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L.A.
Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 7:33 am
Location: Helsinki, Finland

Re: Lionsgate International

#4 Post by L.A. » Mon Jul 29, 2013 3:25 pm


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