Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: DVD: Life With Father (1947)

This is topic DVD: Life With Father (1947) in forum The Afterlife at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 07-10-2006, 09:44 AM:

Whats up with this title? I expected it to be as beautiful as other old titles on DVD, but this-un looks like crap. Is it PD? Warners needs to look into this one. It is screaming for a restoration!

Posted by Richard P. May (Member # 3598) on 07-11-2006, 11:50 AM:

Yes, it is PD. I doubt that the DVD came from Warner Home Video. It very well could have been mastered from a 16mm print.

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 07-11-2006, 12:13 PM:

I think it was a 16mm print, in good condition, IMHO, but, the soundtrack sounded like an old Variable Density printing. The bass audio was choppy sounding, and the rest of the film was muddy sounding. It was a product of a company that began with an 'M' but, its gone back to Netflix now, so I cant look at it again. I sure hope that Warners can do something about this, as the film is just incredible, and just plain fun. William Powell and Irene Dunne were GREAT in their roles. And those sets... [Big Grin]

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 07-11-2006, 01:27 PM:

The version that Netflix sent you was from a label called Madacy Entertainment, it retails for about $8.00. Currently Warner Home Video does not have a version of this title available. The masters from Madacy on many of their PD titles are from 16mm sources. Warner Home Video did upgrade three old MGM musicals that were available only in messed-up PD versions.

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 07-11-2006, 04:06 PM:

That was it, Bill!

I thought the color on the print they used was very nice, but the sound made the film a miserable 2 hours. I've seen MANY 16mm transfers to tape, and this is the least sharp transfer I've ever seen. At $8, its a rip-off.