Comments on: Digging into the Warner Archive

By: R. Emmet Sweeney

R. Emmet Sweeney — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:32:14 +0000

Thanks, Livius. I should check out more of these Montparnasse titles…

By: Livius

Livius — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:07:24 +0000

I know a good number of the Montparnasse titles are not encoded progressively and the quality does vary (although any screencaps I’ve seen of the Archive titles suggests to me they’re about equal in that respect) but the dozen or so I own are all quite watchable. I’d never heard of them being NTSC ports though.
I would say that those titles that have gotten an official pressed release in R1 thru Warners are a definite improvement but I can’t see that those that are now slipping into the Archive represent much of an upgrade, if at all.

By: R. Emmet Sweeney

R. Emmet Sweeney — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:06:28 +0000

Medusa – they do offer most titles for download for fifteen bucks, which isn’t much of a break. It must be said that this is a very narrow niche service, and so it has to be difficult to turn a profit on such obscure titles, but I still think they need to knock five bucks or so off of the asking price.

Livius, I know of the Montparnasse series (I own their edition of THE LOST PATROL), but aren’t the transfers often poor NTSC-PAL transfers? Please let me know if I’m wrong. The Archive transfers vary in quality, but at least they’re all native NTSC.

And Laura, thank for the correction of my silly mistake, I guess I had precious gems on the mind. I should add that Ruby Dee is wonderful in the film, projecting a kind of forceful reserve that cuts one of the confederate assassins down to size. She’s the most heroic figure in the movie.

By: Laura

Laura — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:35:46 +0000

Thanks for a very interesting piece. I'm always interested to hear how Warner Archive prints look. I'm a fan of Hedy Lamarr but have not yet seen EXPERIMENT PERILOUS. I first saw THE TALL TARGET last fall and thoroughly enjoyed it. One minor correction to your post: I believe you meant Ruby Dee rather than Pearl Bailey. Thanks and best wishes, Laura

By: Livius

Livius — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:50:02 +0000

That’s a fine piece on a couple of overlooked movies. I picked Experiment Perilous up a few years ago on R2 DVD from France (for considerably less than the Archive asking price I might add) and thoroughly enjoyed it. Like you say, it’s got some excellent visuals, but most of Tourneur’s fims could boast that, couldn’t they.

I’ve yet to see The Tall Target but, much as I’d like it in my collection, I can’t see myself going for the Archive release. The French releasing company Montparnasse is an good, and affordable, source for a lot of these lesser known RKO movies – I’d imagine The Tall Target will be forthcoming from them sooner or later.

By: Medusa

Medusa — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:41:37 +0000

Anything with or about Mr. Lincoln gets my attention; glad to see “The Tall Target” available now for the many Lincoln-philes who will be happy to add it to their treasures. It’s loosely based on the real-life inauguration train situation — http://kikoshouse.blogspot.com/2009/02/early-death-plot-against-lincoln.html — and perhaps if Spielberg ever makes his Lincoln biofilm, “The Tall Target” may get some much-deserved reflected attention.

As a true cheap cinephile, I agree that $20 is far too much to pay. If they were available for download for a few bucks, that would be more like it, but what else would a cheap cinephile say? :-)

Great look at two fascinating movies!