Easter Parade

[Jeff]

Scheduled for release March 15, 2005. Available individually, or as part of the Classic Musicals Collection.

Features:
* Commentary by Fred Astaire's daughter Ava Astaire and Judy Garland biographer John Fricke
* New digital transfer from restored picture and audio elements
* New making-of documentary: "Easter Parade: Beyond the Avenue"
* American Masters documentary profile: "Judy Garland: By Myself"
* Outtake musical number: Mr. Monotony
* Audio-only bonuses: radio production with the film's stars
* Radio promo
* Garland trailer gallery

[devlinnn]

Looks like the R4 (and therefore R2?) will only be one disc come April, with the dropping of the Judy Garlnd doc. etc. Thanks again Sydney, keep it up!

[BWilson]

As for the print!! Is this the most drenched Technicolor yet from Warner? (And the Monotony footage is equally gorgeous.)

Actually, while the transfer is fine, it does have plenty of age related artifacts, some technicolor misalignment, and was not restored using the Ultra Resolustion process (like Meet Me in St. Louis, Singin' in the Rain). But it looks just fine.

[unclehulot]

This is true (and BAND WAGON is also not ultra res) but they appear to have used original dye transfer prints which look the best I have ever seen. The misalignment in EASTER PARADE only seems to pop up twice, and briefly. Don't you think the saturation on EASTER PARADE is incredible?

Don't know why there is such confusion about whether Band Wagon was or wasn't ultra rez.... was it the Glenn Erickson's review on the DVD Savant site? I haven't seen the packaging, but it's odd that they wouldn't trumpet the process as other releases have.

[BWilson]

That press release is a lie. It's that simple. But this shouldn't hold anybody up from buying either film, they look fantastic.

[unclehulot]

This whole tempest reminds me of my days selling cds when certain customers would ask about the SPARS codes and refuse to buy a certain cd reissue if it were AAD rather than ADD. Back in that day MANY 78 rpm transfers were done on analog equipment, then transfered to DAT tape and mastered off this "master", thus ADD, but the code doesn't really reflect it. Was it a lie? I don't know. In any case, they listener could congratulate himself on being discerning enough to seek out the ADD code, but the same thing could have been issued as AAD, and the consumer would have no of being able to tell. That didn't stop some reviewers bullshitting about it, claiming to hear the benefits of an all digital transfer.

My friends, WE can't tell which process they used from hearing anymore than we can tell what Warner did on these discs. If you think you can, you're just kidding yourself and the rest of us.

So, I'd sooner believe what Harris/Feltenstein say in an interview, than some thing the marketing dept. does or doesn't include on the box of the dvd, or what some reviewer decides was the process used!!

[BWilson]

Sorry to get panties in a bunch. I'm basing my opinion of Easter Parade on the fact that, while it looks great, it doesn't look nearly as great as the other Ultra Res titles (Robin Hood, Singin', GWTW, etc.) Those transfers look unbelievable, Easter Parade just looks alright.

Let's put it this way. If Easter Parade is Ultra Res then I guess it proves that Ultra Res is not the "be all end all" of three strip restoration. Ultra Res did not make Easter Parade look like Meet Me in St. Louis or GWTW.

[BWilson]

I agree that it does look more film like. And in other words it doesn't look like the Ultra Resolution process.

I never said it looked bad, or that it didn't look like film, I said it didn't look like they used Ultra Res. Even you agree that it doesn't look anything like WB's eariler Ultra Res titles. They probably used a very good pre-print element.

[devlinnn]

Dear Ms. Ann Miller

Sorry, but I don't buy it. I've spent the last few days going back through dozens of books, I've watched the 'Shaking the Blues Away' number numerous times and discussed the topic with friends and a dance-crazy partner. Yet there is no proof, visual or verbal, to your story about back braces during the production of Easter Parade. I'm an expert at watching the female figure during heavenly routines such as yours, and there is no way you are wearing such a contraption. Sadly, there is no one around anymore who worked on the film to refute your claim, so congratulations on setting an embellished record for the ages. However, it's the sort of act that gives ammo to those who always felt you should have stayed in b-pictures.

Hope your still tappin', and send my regards and thanks to Ms. Garbo and Mr. Minnelli.

Love,
Devlinnn

[Ben Cheshire]

I just watched this, inspired by its high praise in the latest Halliwell's "Movies That Matter" edition. What a stunning musical. And a great DVD from MGM. I hope its in works for a Blu soon; pm me if anyone finds out.

[Jeff]

Blu-ray on February 19. As usual, Warner has dropped the nice poster art from the DVD release in favor of some Photoshop silliness.

[felipe]

That artwork looks awful. Everything looks terrible from the picture to the font.

Nevertheless, I'm glad it's even getting released. Great film, and some nice bonus supplements.