st3veebee
Posts: 2354
Joined: 3/9/2006
From: 9303 Lyon Drive
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Spaldron
I posted this in favourite films but will repost here due to the blu ray relevance. I've highlighted the technical specs.
Me and the gf had one of the best cinema experiences of my life seeing the newly restored version of Lawrence last night at the EIFF. The film was introduced by an official looking guy from Sony who gave a brief account of the 18 month restoration process including how David Lean's editor Anne V. Coates consulted on the project particularly the colour issues.. The Sony guy also mentioned that the film would have another screening in London later this year (presumably at the LIFF) for all those wanting to catch a screening of this down south. No mention of a more general release pre the blu-ray.
Thelma Schoonmaker was also in the audience.
As for the film itself there's not much more I can say (in terms of critical appraisal) that hasn't already been said before. What I will say though is that seeing this on the big screen (especially for the first time) is immensely greater than watching it at home and you should jump at the chance to see this in the cinema if you can. Everything about the film is heightened and intensified, from the humorous exchange between Lawrence and General Murray to the massive vistas accompanied by the booming score during those desert crossings. The attack on Aqaba is truly stunning with the floor of the cinema literally shaking, later echoed by the "no prisoners" massacre which looks far more violent and shocking than it ever did on dvd. This is what a truly cinematic experience really means, a near 4 hour epic in glorious widescreen Technicolor. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up several times during the film and I nearly had a tear in my eye at the end. I should point out the specific cut of the film (if you didn't know) will be the 1989 directors cut which as the Sony guy pointed out is the definitive version now. It also came with the full Overture and Intermission which was very welcome. Stunning.
As for the restoration all I can say is Sony have done a stellar job, one of the best I've seen. There's not a single scratch or piece of dirt to be found (although at one point I though I saw dirt which turned out to be a tiny fly whizzing past Alec Guinness' head, a detail lost on dvd). Its also as pin sharp as you can expect to see on a 50 year old film, there are some shots where you can practically count the every grain of sand or every whisker on Omar Shariff's amazing tache. This is particularly welcome as I found the dvd suffered from occasional (if minor) blurring. There is a little bit of grain here and there on the wide shots but that's to be expected on an old film like this and in all honesty will probably only be noticed on larger screens/tv's. The most striking part of the visual restoration I found was the colour, especially those that stand out against the desert. The reds, blues and blacks in particular are deep and vibrant, from the clothing of the Bedouin to Lawrence's striking blue eyes which are deeper than ever, especially on the close ups. Of course the money shots are the ones that stick in the memory, those epic wide shots of the endless desert just pull you into the world, you can practically feel the heat coming off the screen.
They've done some significant work to the sound mix, the one I saw was (presumably) the full lossless digital surround mix. The first thing I noticed was the score which boomed out of every speaker and sounds crystal clear. Same can be said for the sound mix, in particular the dialogue which has definitely been cleaned up. It also sounds less tinny than it did on dvd (whether or not this was as a result of seeing it on the big screen is debatable) but it definitely sounds more powerful and lifelike than before. Obviously though with such high levels of clarity brings up some of the more noticeable inconsistencies, I'm speaking in particular of the ADR done by the actors for the 1989 restoration which in some scenes sound very out of place (particularly Guinness' lines) but tbh one cant really complain about the audio being "too clear". Some of the standout moments include the scene where Lawrence sings to himself, with the echoes bouncing around the room and some of the larger crowd scenes.
All in all it was a joy to see such a masterpiece restored to its former glory and as I pointed out earlier if you can see this on the screen before the blu-ray comes out as I believe seeing it as originally intended will bring a renewed appreciation for this Lean's greatest film.
Fantastic stuff Spalds, it has whetted my appetite for a cinema viewing of Lawrence like never before. Really hope this arrives in Dublin sometime! Otherwise I'm off to England to watch it.
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Latest Films:
Two days in New York: 4/5
Prometheus: 3.5/5
Abe Lincoln: VH 3/5
Twin Peaks: FWWM 3.5/5
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