Olivier Blu Ray

Have just watched the new Blu Ray of Olivier's film version of "that play".
This is the fullest version seen since the London premiere in 1955, and
most of it looks amazing.
Oddly it is when we get to the scenes shot on location, in the real
sunlight of southern Spain, that things go off. The arrival at Bosworth
is darkened down to look almost like night, with the wide shot of the
battlefield looking like a painted back drop, which it never has before.
The morning scenes that follow the ghosts visitation too are also far
too dark now. I do not understand why this was done as before the film
moved outside I was giving the restoration an unequivocal 5 star rating.
The source material for the battle is difficult to work out, as shots I
haven't seen since I was a kid, the men throwing down their weapons and
embracing, walking across to join Tudor etc look as if they were shot
yesterday, while other material that I have seen many times looks to
have been dragged across a dusty field. Strange as so much care was
taken with the rest of the film. The opening soliloquy for example with
the spot on Olivier's face coming and going and wobbling a lot has been
miraculously smoothed out so that one now hardly notices it.
Needless to say, the costumes and colour on the entire studio parts of
the film look wonderful.
Interesting to see that Olivier's historical disclaimer at the front of
the film, "In spite of the facts, this is a legend worth repeating", is
pointed out in the accompanying booklet, and was mentioned at the start
of the 12 minute television trailer for the film, which also included
behind the scenes material.
A couple of reviews of this Bu Ray have also brought this up, with one
magazine I have seen asking how Society members feel about the issue of
this just after the discovery of the real king's bones!
Paul

--
Richard Liveth Yet!

Thanks for this review, Paul - insightful and informative. Very much hoping for a UK release. Unfortunately, my blu ray player is not easily hacked!

Jonathan

--- In , Paul Trevor Bale <paul.bale@...> wrote:
>
> Have just watched the new Blu Ray of Olivier's film version of "that play".
> This is the fullest version seen since the London premiere in 1955, and
> most of it looks amazing.
> Oddly it is when we get to the scenes shot on location, in the real
> sunlight of southern Spain, that things go off. The arrival at Bosworth
> is darkened down to look almost like night, with the wide shot of the
> battlefield looking like a painted back drop, which it never has before.
> The morning scenes that follow the ghosts visitation too are also far
> too dark now. I do not understand why this was done as before the film
> moved outside I was giving the restoration an unequivocal 5 star rating.
> The source material for the battle is difficult to work out, as shots I
> haven't seen since I was a kid, the men throwing down their weapons and
> embracing, walking across to join Tudor etc look as if they were shot
> yesterday, while other material that I have seen many times looks to
> have been dragged across a dusty field. Strange as so much care was
> taken with the rest of the film. The opening soliloquy for example with
> the spot on Olivier's face coming and going and wobbling a lot has been
> miraculously smoothed out so that one now hardly notices it.
> Needless to say, the costumes and colour on the entire studio parts of
> the film look wonderful.
> Interesting to see that Olivier's historical disclaimer at the front of
> the film, "In spite of the facts, this is a legend worth repeating", is
> pointed out in the accompanying booklet, and was mentioned at the start
> of the 12 minute television trailer for the film, which also included
> behind the scenes material.
> A couple of reviews of this Bu Ray have also brought this up, with one
> magazine I have seen asking how Society members feel about the issue of
> this just after the discovery of the real king's bones!
> Paul
>
> --
> Richard Liveth Yet!
>

The thing about that film is that almost everyone in the cast is much too old.

Even Jane Shore looks ready for the retirement home, despite Hastings looking her over.


________________________________
From: Jonathan <jmcevans98@...>
To:
Sent: Tuesday, 18 June 2013, 16:08
Subject: Re: Olivier Blu Ray



 
Thanks for this review, Paul - insightful and informative. Very much hoping for a UK release. Unfortunately, my blu ray player is not easily hacked!

Jonathan

--- In , Paul Trevor Bale <paul.bale@...> wrote:
>
> Have just watched the new Blu Ray of Olivier's film version of "that play".
> This is the fullest version seen since the London premiere in 1955, and
> most of it looks amazing.
> Oddly it is when we get to the scenes shot on location, in the real
> sunlight of southern Spain, that things go off. The arrival at Bosworth
> is darkened down to look almost like night, with the wide shot of the
> battlefield looking like a painted back drop, which it never has before.
> The morning scenes that follow the ghosts visitation too are also far
> too dark now. I do not understand why this was done as before the film
> moved outside I was giving the restoration an unequivocal 5 star rating.
> The source material for the battle is difficult to work out, as shots I
> haven't seen since I was a kid, the men throwing down their weapons and
> embracing, walking across to join Tudor etc look as if they were shot
> yesterday, while other material that I have seen many times looks to
> have been dragged across a dusty field. Strange as so much care was
> taken with the rest of the film. The opening soliloquy for example with
> the spot on Olivier's face coming and going and wobbling a lot has been
> miraculously smoothed out so that one now hardly notices it.
> Needless to say, the costumes and colour on the entire studio parts of
> the film look wonderful.
> Interesting to see that Olivier's historical disclaimer at the front of
> the film, "In spite of the facts, this is a legend worth repeating", is
> pointed out in the accompanying booklet, and was mentioned at the start
> of the 12 minute television trailer for the film, which also included
> behind the scenes material.
> A couple of reviews of this Bu Ray have also brought this up, with one
> magazine I have seen asking how Society members feel about the issue of
> this just after the discovery of the real king's bones!
> Paul
>
> --
> Richard Liveth Yet!
>

Olivier cast mostly his fellow stage actors; he based his choices on achieving a certain calibre of performance. On stage, with loads of character makeup, age has never been as crucial as in film. Pamela Brown, who played Shore, was in her 30s, I believe. According to what I've heard, Anne Neville was to be played by Vivian Leigh, who was even older than Brown, but he decided on a 20-something Claire Bloom, instead.

When Zefferelli made Romeo and Juliet, a huge deal was made of the fact he cast such young lead actors.

Judy
 
Loyaulte me lie


________________________________
From: david rayner <theblackprussian@...>
To: "" <>
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 2:02 PM
Subject: Re: Re: Olivier Blu Ray



 
The thing about that film is that almost everyone in the cast is much too old.

Even Jane Shore looks ready for the retirement home, despite Hastings looking her over.

________________________________
From: Jonathan <jmcevans98@...>
To:
Sent: Tuesday, 18 June 2013, 16:08
Subject: Re: Olivier Blu Ray


 
Thanks for this review, Paul - insightful and informative. Very much hoping for a UK release. Unfortunately, my blu ray player is not easily hacked!

Jonathan

--- In , Paul Trevor Bale <paul.bale@...> wrote:
>
> Have just watched the new Blu Ray of Olivier's film version of "that play".
> This is the fullest version seen since the London premiere in 1955, and
> most of it looks amazing.
> Oddly it is when we get to the scenes shot on location, in the real
> sunlight of southern Spain, that things go off. The arrival at Bosworth
> is darkened down to look almost like night, with the wide shot of the
> battlefield looking like a painted back drop, which it never has before.
> The morning scenes that follow the ghosts visitation too are also far
> too dark now. I do not understand why this was done as before the film
> moved outside I was giving the restoration an unequivocal 5 star rating.
> The source material for the battle is difficult to work out, as shots I
> haven't seen since I was a kid, the men throwing down their weapons and
> embracing, walking across to join Tudor etc look as if they were shot
> yesterday, while other material that I have seen many times looks to
> have been dragged across a dusty field. Strange as so much care was
> taken with the rest of the film. The opening soliloquy for example with
> the spot on Olivier's face coming and going and wobbling a lot has been
> miraculously smoothed out so that one now hardly notices it.
> Needless to say, the costumes and colour on the entire studio parts of
> the film look wonderful.
> Interesting to see that Olivier's historical disclaimer at the front of
> the film, "In spite of the facts, this is a legend worth repeating", is
> pointed out in the accompanying booklet, and was mentioned at the start
> of the 12 minute television trailer for the film, which also included
> behind the scenes material.
> A couple of reviews of this Bu Ray have also brought this up, with one
> magazine I have seen asking how Society members feel about the issue of
> this just after the discovery of the real king's bones!
> Paul
>
> --
> Richard Liveth Yet!
>

I do think Bloom was very beautiful, and her costumes ravishing, particularly with hair down. The seduction scene is quite remarkable; even with hump and nose Olivier was incredible. And Bloom is still beautiful sixty years' on.



________________________________
From: Judy Thomson <judygerard.thomson@...>
To: "" <>
Sent: Tuesday, 18 June 2013, 21:10
Subject: Re: Re: Olivier Blu Ray

 

Olivier cast mostly his fellow stage actors; he based his choices on achieving a certain calibre of performance. On stage, with loads of character makeup, age has never been as crucial as in film. Pamela Brown, who played Shore, was in her 30s, I believe. According to what I've heard, Anne Neville was to be played by Vivian Leigh, who was even older than Brown, but he decided on a 20-something Claire Bloom, instead.

When Zefferelli made Romeo and Juliet, a huge deal was made of the fact he cast such young lead actors.

Judy
 
Loyaulte me lie

________________________________
From: david rayner <theblackprussian@...>
To: "" <>
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 2:02 PM
Subject: Re: Re: Olivier Blu Ray


 
The thing about that film is that almost everyone in the cast is much too old.

Even Jane Shore looks ready for the retirement home, despite Hastings looking her over.

________________________________
From: Jonathan <jmcevans98@...>
To:
Sent: Tuesday, 18 June 2013, 16:08
Subject: Re: Olivier Blu Ray

 
Thanks for this review, Paul - insightful and informative. Very much hoping for a UK release. Unfortunately, my blu ray player is not easily hacked!

Jonathan

--- In , Paul Trevor Bale <paul.bale@...> wrote:
>
> Have just watched the new Blu Ray of Olivier's film version of "that play".
> This is the fullest version seen since the London premiere in 1955, and
> most of it looks amazing.
> Oddly it is when we get to the scenes shot on location, in the real
> sunlight of southern Spain, that things go off. The arrival at Bosworth
> is darkened down to look almost like night, with the wide shot of the
> battlefield looking like a painted back drop, which it never has before.
> The morning scenes that follow the ghosts visitation too are also far
> too dark now. I do not understand why this was done as before the film
> moved outside I was giving the restoration an unequivocal 5 star rating.
> The source material for the battle is difficult to work out, as shots I
> haven't seen since I was a kid, the men throwing down their weapons and
> embracing, walking across to join Tudor etc look as if they were shot
> yesterday, while other material that I have seen many times looks to
> have been dragged across a dusty field. Strange as so much care was
> taken with the rest of the film. The opening soliloquy for example with
> the spot on Olivier's face coming and going and wobbling a lot has been
> miraculously smoothed out so that one now hardly notices it.
> Needless to say, the costumes and colour on the entire studio parts of
> the film look wonderful.
> Interesting to see that Olivier's historical disclaimer at the front of
> the film, "In spite of the facts, this is a legend worth repeating", is
> pointed out in the accompanying booklet, and was mentioned at the start
> of the 12 minute television trailer for the film, which also included
> behind the scenes material.
> A couple of reviews of this Bu Ray have also brought this up, with one
> magazine I have seen asking how Society members feel about the issue of
> this just after the discovery of the real king's bones!
> Paul
>
> --
> Richard Liveth Yet!
>

er David, it's fiction, and drama, remember? And nobody is ever too old
or too young to play in Shakespeare's fiction!
Remember too that Shakespeare doesn't class his play as one of his
histories but a tragedy.
Paul


On 18/06/2013 20:02, david rayner wrote:
> The thing about that film is that almost everyone in the cast is much too old.
>
> Even Jane Shore looks ready for the retirement home, despite Hastings looking her over.
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Jonathan <jmcevans98@...>
> To:
> Sent: Tuesday, 18 June 2013, 16:08
> Subject: Re: Olivier Blu Ray
>
>
>
>
> Thanks for this review, Paul - insightful and informative. Very much hoping for a UK release. Unfortunately, my blu ray player is not easily hacked!
>
> Jonathan
>
> --- In , Paul Trevor Bale <paul.bale@...> wrote:
>> Have just watched the new Blu Ray of Olivier's film version of "that play".
>> This is the fullest version seen since the London premiere in 1955, and
>> most of it looks amazing.
>> Oddly it is when we get to the scenes shot on location, in the real
>> sunlight of southern Spain, that things go off. The arrival at Bosworth
>> is darkened down to look almost like night, with the wide shot of the
>> battlefield looking like a painted back drop, which it never has before.
>> The morning scenes that follow the ghosts visitation too are also far
>> too dark now. I do not understand why this was done as before the film
>> moved outside I was giving the restoration an unequivocal 5 star rating.
>> The source material for the battle is difficult to work out, as shots I
>> haven't seen since I was a kid, the men throwing down their weapons and
>> embracing, walking across to join Tudor etc look as if they were shot
>> yesterday, while other material that I have seen many times looks to
>> have been dragged across a dusty field. Strange as so much care was
>> taken with the rest of the film. The opening soliloquy for example with
>> the spot on Olivier's face coming and going and wobbling a lot has been
>> miraculously smoothed out so that one now hardly notices it.
>> Needless to say, the costumes and colour on the entire studio parts of
>> the film look wonderful.
>> Interesting to see that Olivier's historical disclaimer at the front of
>> the film, "In spite of the facts, this is a legend worth repeating", is
>> pointed out in the accompanying booklet, and was mentioned at the start
>> of the 12 minute television trailer for the film, which also included
>> behind the scenes material.
>> A couple of reviews of this Bu Ray have also brought this up, with one
>> magazine I have seen asking how Society members feel about the issue of
>> this just after the discovery of the real king's bones!
>> Paul
>>
>> --
>> Richard Liveth Yet!
>>
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--
Richard Liveth Yet!