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| Rating the DVD Releases of Sound Serials; Best picture and sound quality available on DVD | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jun 16 2014, 07:30 AM (21,477 Views) | |
| JazzGuyy | Jun 17 2014, 09:37 AM Post #31 |
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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I've already noted elsewhere that I think the VCI DVD-R releases of Mystery of the Riverboat and Ace Drummond look better than any previous versions I have seen. I would give them a 7 or 8. A couple of caveats about VCI serials in general though: there can be a little too much digital cleanup so that film grain is less evident than it should be and they are often a bit dark with overall contrast levels not as good as they should be. |
| TANSTAAFL! | |
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| moodyhound | Jun 17 2014, 09:54 AM Post #32 |
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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Do you know if the vci version of Ace Drummond is better than the alpha version? If so, a little, or a lot? |
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| JazzGuyy | Jun 17 2014, 10:24 AM Post #33 |
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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Yes, it's better than the Alpha and by a lot in my opinion, particularly the audio. |
| TANSTAAFL! | |
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| The Batman | Jun 17 2014, 11:02 AM Post #34 |
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Charter Member
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Thanks, Jazzy, I've added those updates. I have the SS version of MotR and have no complaints with it, but if you've seen both that and the VCI version, then I'll go with your opinion. |
| Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman! | |
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| Frank Hale | Jun 17 2014, 01:03 PM Post #35 |
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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Manduck the Magician: VCI, 6, Extras: Bios, Poster Galler, Trailer Gallery. Comments: A few minutes of soundtrack recreation in Chapter 1. Manduck gestures hypnotically. Scouts to the Rescue: VCI, 6, Extras: Bios, Poster Galler, Trailer Gallery. Comment: Original Universal print, but with possibly spurious 40's Universal spinning globe logo added. I think we might need a clarification on quality ratings. To me, a 10 is a VistaVision film in Blu-Ray, but I get the impression people are using 10 as simply the best quality serial they've seen on home video. |
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| Pa Stark | Jun 17 2014, 02:31 PM Post #36 |
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Charter Member
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Grood's original release of THE LONE RANGER was about a six, but the work he did on the upgrade raises it to at least 7+. It might be the best we will ever see. If I remember, the chapter one opticals are missing the Ranger and Silver. Has anyone seen the Autry estate's version of THE PHANTOM EMPIRE, and how does it compare to VCI's? Grood had an excellent print, but it was his worst butchery, with background music added, and ray gun blasts tinted purple. Stay away from it. |
| Honest and Lovable Pa Stark | |
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| The Batman | Jun 17 2014, 04:19 PM Post #37 |
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Charter Member
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OK, I had just updated the Mandrake serial, as you were posting Frank, but I had rated it a 7, but have brought it down to your 6 (I'd rather go with the lower rating, to temper expectations). I added your comments as well, thanks. Also updated SCOUTS TO THE RESCUE, thanks again. Pa, I had put THE LONE RANGER up to an 8, but again, to temper expectations and because you are another serial expert I admire, I've dropped it to a 7. |
| Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman! | |
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| williejg | Jun 17 2014, 04:21 PM Post #38 |
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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OK, it seems that I've managed to piss off all of you by mentioning a trading group. If you read my last post on that thread I explain myself. I apologize for offending you all, particularly Trev, and also Panzer because I don't want to be boiled in oil. I have never considered trading music, old radio shows or serials with a small group of friends a problem. Back in the day of the VHS trading was rampant, which is why their are so many lousy prints out for sale now. Can you all tell me that you've never traded a few serials with your friends? If any of you sell on E bay under alias names, can you say that you've never bought a nice print from a dealer and then started selling it as your own. I doubt it to both questions. Everybody, collector or dealer, gets their serials from somewhere and then considers them their own to do what they please with. Go ahead and tell me I'm wrong. There's no way you can prove it because trading has gone on for years and will continue to do so. I've traded a few serials with less than a handful of friends, and I don't see how this takes away food from the dealers table. But, I must admit that this thread made me think about it since I had never considered a few trades stealing. And that word stung, and is the reason for my apology. willie |
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| Laughing Gravy | Jun 17 2014, 04:35 PM Post #39 |
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Look for In The Balcony on Facebook!
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Of course we haven't done it, except to that crook Grood. What you're describing isn't trading, it's stealing. Trading is "I've got two Hawks of the Wilderness here, trade you one for New Adventures of Tarzan," or "I'm done with Trader Tom, what'll ya give me for it?", not "I bought this, I'll burn you a copy for trade or money and we'll screw somebody." |
| "I'm glad that this question came up, because there are so many ways to answer it that one of them is bound to be right." - Robert Benchley | |
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| The Batman | Jun 17 2014, 04:42 PM Post #40 |
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Charter Member
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That's the only problem I have with your "moral superiority" here. Grood has never screwed me over, ever. Others have not been so lucky, fine. Now, what if another serial dealer screwed me over, but you've had nothing but great dealings with him/her. Since you've never been harmed, should I have to respect that dealer, or can I screw him over, like you feel you can with Grood? I'm honestly curious how you justify your statements about this. |
| Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman! | |
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| moodyhound | Jun 17 2014, 06:17 PM Post #41 |
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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I have the Gene Autry estate version of The Phantom Empire. Its three discs, with 4 episodes on each disc, and a slide show of color stills on the third disc. It is an outstanding copy. I own most the disc sets of the Gene Autry movies, and like them, they did a first rate job on this transfer. I cant imagine a better print available.I got lucky and found it brand new for a few dollars. For anyone who hasn't watched it yet, it is a great serial. Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, Frankie Darro, singing cowboys, horses, bad guys on horse back, evil Queen, Sci Fi, robots, there's enough going on here to make two or three serials. Two thumbs up.
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| moodyhound | Jun 17 2014, 06:36 PM Post #42 |
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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Personally I don't have a dog in the fight. I wouldn't know how to burn a disc, cept' by tossing it in a fire. However, the way I under stand, people can legally make copies of these old serials and movies because the copyrights have expired. So if someone takes one and cleans it up to sell, thats legal and morally ok. But for someone to take that cleaned up copy, and copy it to sell is legal but not morally ok. Selling copies of a serial someone put effort into cleaning up is stealing their labor. Selling copies of a serial someone put effort into making years ago isnt. Is it the amount of time after the work is done that it switches from wrong to right? |
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| panzer the great & terrible | Jun 17 2014, 08:10 PM Post #43 |
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Mouth Breather
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About THE LONE RANGER. 6 is generous, IMO. The Lone Ranger is really a lost film, with several ghost versions some folks seem to be able to enjoy. It's sort of the serial London After Midnight to me. Always wanted to see them both, but when I saw the pitiful remains I wondered what all the noise was about. I also think it's about time to can all this moralistic crap. Of course we have all traded movies. I can truthfully say I've never traded one of trev's, but I cannot say where all the stuff people have so generously given me came from, because I don't know. |
| Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious... | |
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| Laughing Gravy | Jun 17 2014, 08:14 PM Post #44 |
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Look for In The Balcony on Facebook!
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It's not moral superiority. Eric is a thief, a liar, and a crook. Screw him. Steal whatever you want from him. He deserves it. He's done it to others. And to the guy who asked the other question, stealing is stealing and the fact that you're stealing an 8-year-old disc vs. a 1-year-old disc is irrelevant. Stop pretending your not a thief, stealing someone else's work. You are. |
| "I'm glad that this question came up, because there are so many ways to answer it that one of them is bound to be right." - Robert Benchley | |
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| panzer the great & terrible | Jun 17 2014, 08:28 PM Post #45 |
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Mouth Breather
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Most serials are not in the public domain, moody. You can thank Sonny Bono for that. They belong to companies that won't reissue them because there's no money in it. Instead, they use them as collateral to make loans for more potentially profitable ventures. Just so you know. Great PR skills, Mr. G. |
| Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious... | |
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