The Rodgers and Hammerstein Musicals

[HarryLong]

Stewpot is still the image that turned me gay all those decades ago.

I've tried several times to wade through the mis-begotten mess of SOUTH PACIFIC. When I need a Stewpoy fix I pop in ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES.

[jsteffe]

And of course for fans of such things, the "Nothing Like a Dame" scene is one of the greatest pieces of Tom o Finland/AMG beefcake in cinema history - casting for the topless male chorus looks like it was done by Raging Stallion Video, minus the waxing and bikini lines etc.

At the risk of pedantry, it's Ranging Stallion Studios.

But yes, I'm totally there. The transfer caught my attention and your description of that musical number closed the sale.

[manicsounds]

After finally watching "The Sound Of Music" all the way through on my own (only saw clips, pieces, or partial tv broadcasts, but never fully), decided to wade through the extras, disc 2 of the blu-ray must be more than 7 hours of material. But the question is about the first disc:

Can anyone access the commentaries while watching the picture in picture? Can't get them to play at the same time. Maybe that's just how it is...

[domino harvey]

Blu-ray version of the box coming in the UK, sure to be in the US soon as well

[manicsounds]

I was thinking just recently about if I should get the "South Pacific" disc or not. Guess I should wait.

I wonder if this means an upgrade for Fritz Lang's "Liliom" to Bluray as well... Or just in Standard Def...

[ianthemovie]

Can anyone confirm whether the DVD (not Blu) R&H box set contains both the CinemaScope and Todd-AO versions of Oklahoma? Relatedly, does anyone know whether either or both of those versions are time-compressed? I seem to recall that the version I saw had been sped up. Basically, I'm asking if there is a decent (i.e., non-time-compressed, CinemaScope) version of the film in the box. I have the set, but it's not with me, so I can't check myself.

[Roger Ryan]

Can anyone confirm whether the DVD (not Blu) R&H box set contains both the CinemaScope and Todd-AO versions of Oklahoma? Relatedly, does anyone know whether either or both of those versions are time-compressed? I seem to recall that the version I saw had been sped up. Basically, I'm asking if there is a decent (i.e., non-time-compressed, CinemaScope) version of the film in the box. I have the set, but it's not with me, so I can't check myself.

Not definitive proof, but Amazon reviews confirm that the box set version does include both the CinemaScope and Todd-AO versions of OKLAHOMA. Also, the stand-lone DVD, which also has both versions, shows a 145 minute running time which matches the official length on IMDb. Honestly, I can't imagine why a home video release would be time compressed; the egregious process is only done on broadcast television showings to make a film conform to a specified time slot while retaining all the necessary commercial breaks.

[domino harvey]

Can anyone confirm whether the DVD (not Blu) R&H box set contains both the CinemaScope and Todd-AO versions of Oklahoma? Relatedly, does anyone know whether either or both of those versions are time-compressed? I seem to recall that the version I saw had been sped up. Basically, I'm asking if there is a decent (i.e., non-time-compressed, CinemaScope) version of the film in the box. I have the set, but it's not with me, so I can't check myself.

I have the US DVD box and it does contain both versions, on separate discs within a slimpack

[jsteffe]

Here is what DVD Savant said about the 30fps Todd-AO transfer on the US 40th Anniversary Edition of Oklahoma, which is presumably the same as that the US DVD box set collection that you mention.

Disc one comes with the standard CinemaScope show we've seen mostly on television for forty years or so, and Disc two has another transfer of the Todd-AO version that came back in the early 90s. Savant went directly for the Todd-AO cut and was mildly disappointed - it's enhanced and should be an improvement on the earlier disc, but the transfer element is unaccountably soft and mushy, seriously so. This cancels out most of the benefit of the higher frame rate. I guess we'll have to wait for HD to straighten this one out. To simply watch the show, the CinemaScope version is the best choice.

From what I heard--and what DVD Savant seems to be saying--the problem was that for the Todd-AO version they just reused the older laserdisc transfer. That might account for the image's lack of resolution.

ianthemovie, It's hard to explain any time compression, unless you were viewing the 24fps CinemaScope version on a Region 2 PAL DVD, in which case they might have transferred it at 25fps.

If they were to release the 30fps Todd-AO version on Blu-ray, then I guess they would have to release it as 1080/29.97i since 1080/24p obviously wouldn't work. Still, it would be nice to see a new transfer of the Todd-AO version since it has better performances. I wonder if the elements for the Todd-AO version are in good condition?

[ianthemovie]

Great; thanks, all. Next time I have access to the disc I'll have to check it out again. I could swear that it had that weird, disorienting sped-up look for some reason but it's nice to know that no one else can confirm this, or why it would be compressed for DVD (unless it was in order to fit both versions of the film on one disc? I don't know). I certainly was not watching it in R2.

[domino harvey]

Individual Blu-rays for the King and I and Oklahoma (both versions) coming October 7

[jsteffe]

Individual Blu-rays for the King and I and Oklahoma (both versions) coming October 7

OKLAHOMA should be worth getting. Apparently Fox has performed a much-needed, major restoration of the Todd AO version of OKLAHOMA. It screened at Il Cinema Ritrovato in Bologna and Schawn Belston lectured on it, though I was unable to attend either of them due to the overabundance of programming at the festival.

[EddieLarkin]

The Todd-AO version looks amazing, certainly one of the most impressive catalog films I own, and is far superior to the CinemaScope version.

[domino harvey]

Oklahoma is in fact the only title I am even remotely interested in upgrading from the DVD set I already own