|
As this forum is rarely used anymore, we've locked it. Feel free to browse and read. Questions? Please reach out to us directly. Cheers! |
|
 |
|
|
| Author |
Message |
kal
Forum Administrator
Joined: 06 Mar 2006
Posts: 18114
Location: Ottawa, Canada
TV/Projector: JVC DLA-NZ7
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 2:11 am Post subject: Meet Me in St. Louis [Blu-ray] |
|
|
Another reference disc!
Meet Me in St. Louis [Blu-ray Book] (1944)
(Hover over link for price, click to purchase and support our forum at no extra cost to you)
| Quote: | Musical lovers, rejoice! Warner honors one of Hollywood's finest with a top-notch digibook edition that features superb video, excellent audio, and a huge array of first-class supplements. 'Meet Me in St. Louis' is the quintessential family musical, and its relatable story and characters, enduring songs (performed with heartbreaking warmth and irrepressible verve by the unforgettable Garland), and gorgeous Technicolor photography make it a time-honored classic that continues to entertain and delight audiences of all ages. So hop aboard the trolley and revel in the magic of Garland, Minnelli, and MGM. Highly recommended, even for those who generally shy away from the genre.
The Video: Sizing Up the Picture
When Warner released the DVD of 'Meet Me in St. Louis' back in 2004, it sported a spanking new digital transfer from restored picture elements, and the results were spectacular. Yet believe it or not, this Blu-ray edition outclasses that fine effort with a perfectly balanced image that showcases the movie's exceptional Technicolor photography and period detail. It's often tempting to over-saturate three-strip Technicolor films, but Warner remains true to the source, fashioning a natural-looking palette that embraces the lush hues without pushing them into an artificial realm. From Garland's auburn hair and red Christmas ball gown to Bremer's green velvet dress and the verdant front lawns that line Kensington Avenue, every color exudes the proper temperature and makes this movie a true visual delight.
The grain structure complements the film as well, lending it a cozy texture that ties into the antiquated setting. (In only a couple of instances did the grain seem excessive, but that's to be expected for a movie of this vintage.) Clarity and contrast are both excellent (and a step up from the DVD), so the picture brims with vibrancy. Details on a Tiffany lamp, wallpaper and carpet patterns, and background elements are all strikingly sharp. Black levels in the Halloween sequence exude a lovely inkiness, yet shadow delineation never suffers and crush never occurs. Whites are solid, too, especially the elaborate dresses the Smith women wear to the World's Fair, but fleshtones adopt a slight rosy tint.
Minnelli was a master of the close-up, and some of his shots of Garland are so exquisitely framed and executed, they take our breath away. The final shot of 'The Boy Next Door' and extended close-up during 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' exhibit a unique lushness and beauty that only a man in love with his leading lady could construct.
The print is primarily spotless, with almost all incidents of speckling erased. There's still a faint vertical stripe with a greenish-yellowish tint that shows up late in the picture for several isolated seconds, but it's not particularly noticeable unless you look for it. No edge enhancement or DNR have been applied, and no banding, halos, artifacting, or noise disrupt the image. Once again, Warner has done a superior job transferring one of its classic titles to Blu-ray, and all fans of musicals and Golden Age cinema should be thrilled with this eye-filling treatment.
The Audio: Rating the Sound
The addition of lossless audio really perks up the 'St. Louis' soundtrack, offering more purity of tone, detail, and dynamic range than the previous Dolby Digital mix on the DVD. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0 track gently envelops; you won't hear anything distinct coming from the rear speakers, but the overall surround feel, which is most potent during the musical numbers, makes the movie more immediate and involving. The wide dynamic range handles Garland's soaring highs well (with distortion never an issue), while lows possess lovely resonance and weight. Subtleties are more pronounced, too, such as the rustling of dresses and the roaring flames of the Halloween bonfire, and accents, like the clanging trolley bell, are crisply rendered.
Dialogue is always well prioritized and easy to comprehend, and the music score enjoys marvelous fidelty and tonal depth. A couple of errant pops could be detected and just the faintest hint of hiss, but neither in any way hamper one's enjoyment of this aural feast. Listening to Garland sing such standards as 'The Trolley Song,' 'The Boy Next Door,' and 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' is always a treat, but hearing her legendary voice in lossless audio adds a rare and wonderful extra dimension to the experience.
The original mono track has been dropped from this release, but a music-only track, highlighting Garland's numbers and Conrad Salinger's lilting orchestrations remains, and can be accessed through the Audio Vault section in the special features area. |
Kal
_________________
Support our site by using our affiliate links. We thank you!
My basement/HT/bar/brewery build 2.0
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
emdawgz1
Joined: 14 Mar 2006
Posts: 7949
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 3:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I have this disc and it IS reference material. There are several things to recommend it.
1. It's visually beautiful. For a 1944 film it looks great
2. Judy Garland never looked better. Vincent Minnelli always makes sure she was filmed in the best way. It shows in this film.
3. The new Audio master sounds wonderful. Rich and inviting.
4. It has one of the best delivered lines in history.....
Tootie.. the youngest girl, is riding on the ice delivery truck with the delivery man. Shes a bit of a tom boy. And she 's describing the desperate straits her doll is in....
'Tootie' Smith: Poor Margeretha, I've never seen her look so pale.
Mr. Neely the Iceman: The sun oughta do her some good.
'Tootie' Smith: I suspect she won't live through the night, she has four fatal diseases.
Mr. Neely the Iceman: And it only takes one.
'Tootie' Smith: But she's going to have a beautiful funeral, in a cigar box my Papa gave me, all wrapped up in silver paper.
Mr. Neely the Iceman: That's the way to go, if you have to go.
'Tootie' Smith: Oh, she has to go.
CLASSIC!!!
_________________
Follow my blog
www.thesinglebrother.com
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum
|
Forum powered by phpBB © phpBB Group
|
|
