This is topic The Sound of Music in forum Film Handlers' Movie Reviews at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Aldo Baez (Member # 790) on 03-21-2003, 09:54 PM:
I was fortunate to catch the brand new 70mm print of The Sound of Music yesterday at the Egyptian in Hollywood. Before the movie started one of the employees said it was the original six track stereo version (something like that) that was being played in DTS.
The movie is great of course even more so in 70mm (Was this movie originally released in 70mm?) The colors were bright and vivid, really great flesh tones, and the several mountain shots throughout were also fantastic. For such an old movie the print was amazing. I only noticed a tiny bit of negative dirt (about a minute) in the very beginning and after the intermission. Other than that it was a pristine print. Watching it in 70mm allows you to truly appreciate the cinematography. The opening Julie Andrews scene took my moms breath away, and the marriage scene was unreal that church looks like something out of another time. When Maria and the Captain are professing their love you can only see their silhouettes towards the end of the scene. Just all black except for the outline of their faces. This scene is my favorite in the movie, filled such genuine romance and happiness and love it's so perfect and not overdone.. with just some silhouettes! Perfectly cast, great writing and dialogue, and not a moment wasted this is truly a timeless movie. If I ever become rich I am going to build myself a full size auditorium and watch The Sound of Music in 70mm and invite all of Film-Tech.
One thing to note presentation wise as I said the print was fantastic, but I noticed immediately that the sound was out of sync. Voices were lagging behind the lips onscreen. During the first My Favorite Things number (about 30-40 minutes in?) the lag got *really* bad almost a second behind, then it was fixed immediately after. I'm assuming he adjusted the offset on the DTS unit the wrong way hehehe. Unfortunately after the intermission the sound was out of sync yet again (very slightly this time) but this time it was not fixed. It drifted in and out of sync and eventually at the end the voices were heard before they spoke. Again the sync was off by a hair and probably wasn't noticeable unless you were really looking for it like I was. Thank goodness for on the fly adjustment on DTS units (At least for the first half.) I would have thought for a theatre that shows several old classics this would have been corrected or calibrated before the showing but it was not something that detracted heavily from the viewing. Also for some reason they used opaque tape for the very first reel change.. I was about to get up and give someone a Film-Tech 101 sandwich but thankfully no more tape was used.
Director Robert Wise and four of the children were there and did a Q&A after a big standing ovation for Mr. Wise. I did not know that the movie was based on a true to life Von Trapp family. All in all one of the best cinematic experiences I've had the luck to experience and if the print comes your way be sure to check it out.
Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 03-21-2003, 11:18 PM:
Yes, Aldo,
"THE SOUND OF MUSIC" was presented in 70mm during it's first run Road Svow engagements in large major cities. The movie was a true wide format film having been photographed in the 65mm Todd-AO process.
-Claude
Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 03-22-2003, 07:21 AM:
I think I read somewhere that this was Saddam`s favourite movie. No kidding!
Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 03-22-2003, 11:30 AM:
Not to mention the group of outlaws in THE POSTMAN.
Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 03-22-2003, 12:32 PM:
Anyone who doesn`t have a picture is an outlaw.
Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 03-22-2003, 07:13 PM:
"The Sound of Music" is one of my favorite films, with a really wonderful 6-channel sound mix too (five channels behind the screen). The sharpness and color from the 65mm color negative was great.
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/newsletters/pytlak/dec98.shtml
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/newsletters/pytlak/march99.shtml
AFAIK, the Egyptian uses changeovers for most of its shows, so might the opaque frame have just been a delay of the changeover?
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-23-2003, 02:34 PM:
Seeing it as a 12 year old at the Michael Todd Theatre in Chicago is one of the reasons I work in film today. As a kid I was blown away by it and seeing the huge reels spinning away through the porthole windows. I'm glad they made a new 70mm of it. Hope they make a few more. I don't think Fox has any clue as to how well a widespread re-release of this film would do in places like SLC.
Mark @ CLACO
Posted by Aldo Baez (Member # 790) on 03-23-2003, 08:21 PM:
John I did not know they used changeovers. That might have been it.. it was perfect the rest of the reels.
Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 03-25-2003, 09:47 AM:
Mark, I am surprised to find out that you have a sensitive and emotional side, too.
Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 03-31-2003, 12:44 PM:
I saw SOM in 1966 in 35mm and mono sound at the Plaza Theatre in Asheville, NC. It blew me away.
I saw a re-release in 1973. Again, mono sound.
Saw it on TV on its first airing.
THEN saw a faded 70mm roadshow print at the Columbia Theatre in Atlanta, GA in 1983. Incredible 6-channel stereo sound on a fantastic system in this theatre. When the pipe organ came on the soundtrack, I could feel it. Wonderful.
I'd loved to have had the chance to see the new print that you saw at the Egyptian.
Bruce
Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 03-31-2003, 02:17 PM:
"THE SOUND OF MUSIC" played at Honolulu's Kuhio Theatre for over a year in both 70mm and 35mm. It opened with a 70mm print and almost a year into it's run, it had to be replaced with a 35mm print and the reason I heard was the large format print was worn out and was unplayable. I saw the film twice in a theatre, The first time was doing it's road show run at the kuhio in 70mm and the second time was during a revival in 35mm at the Kuhio again many years later. Sadly, the 35mm print was only in mono.
I have enjoyed watching the movie many times over the years on TV, laserdiscs and finally on DVD. It is still a great movie and one of my all time favorites! ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
-Claude
Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 09-15-2015, 10:41 PM:
It has been 4551 days since the last post.
Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 09-15-2015, 10:41 PM:
I was just randomly reading movie reviews and stumbled upon this one.
"The Sound of Music" was the first movie I saw in the theater I now own. (Well, at least the first one I remember seeing.) I was impressed enough by it that I asked to go again the next night, and my parents didn't want to go but they were friends with the theater owner, and after talking it over, decided it would be fun for me to hang out in the projection booth and watch how the movies worked. That was my first time in a projection booth, so to say "it changed my life" is kind of an understatement!
Having grown up going to Catholic school I really enjoyed the scenes with the nuns. We had very similar nuns as teachers; in fact one, Sister Joletta, had a beautiful singing voice. Contrary to popular culture, the nuns were NOT mean old bags with steel rulers; they were really good teachers.
Anyway; TSOM is still one of my favorite movies. It's beautifully filmed, the songs are still catchy, and sure it's got some sappy moments but the overall story is really very good.
Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 09-16-2015, 09:53 AM:
![[evil]](graemlins/evil.gif)