6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A woman takes her four beautiful daughters to Alaska during the Gold Rush to find their fortune.
Starring: Rhonda Fleming, Gene Barry, Agnes Moorehead, Jean Parker (I), Roscoe AtesMusical | 100% |
Western | 60% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.67:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.66:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 3.0
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
None
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Blu-ray 3D
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Aside from its place in history as "the first 3-D musical" and Paramount's first non-anamorphic widescreen release as well as the studio's first film with three-channel magnetic sound, Those Redheads from Seattle offers little in the way of dramatic novelty but does deliver a proper, relaxing good time at the (3D) movies. Song and dance, romance, the Alaskan frontier, murder, and mystery shape the movie's structure and narrative materials. It's a movie with playful, mischievous overtones and simple aspirations. Much more of the film's historical context, both in isolation and across the greater cinema 3-D landscape as it was at the time of the film's release, can be read here in another detailed article from the 3-D Film Archive, which also oversaw the 3D restoration.
Those Redheads from Seattle arrives on Blu-ray 3D from Kino and 3-D Film Archive with a very pleasing and robust 1080p 3D transfer. First, a
review of the 2D-only presentation. The source
is in fairly good shape at its very best but appears a bit worn and run down at worst. There are unmissable pops and speckles with more significant
deterioration evident in places, but one must consider, with a film like this, the limited resources available to restoring it as well as all of the TLC that
went it crafting a superior 3D presentation (more on that in a moment). Granular texturing is heavy but nicely complimentary. The image is more than
capably handled under the enhanced clarity and stability of the 1080p resolution that brings out the best in any number of pleasantly complex and
intricate examples of texturing, including complex wardrobes and highly detailed furnishings which offer impressive core definition. Extremely fine
nuanced detail is lacking at more of a micro level and the image is a touch soft in places, but again the disc nicely balances that fine line between its
inherent limitations both at the source and with the materials, time, and money allotted to the restoration artists. But whether the ladies' home or the
roughhewn wooden accents and snowy landscapes in Alaska, the image generally finds a very satisfying level of clarity and essential definition.
Colors please too, appearing a little washed out in a few spots but this is generally a well rounded and pleasant palette that smartly conveys essential
colors while boasting robust color nuance in some of the less monochromatic surfaces.
The 3D presentation is wonderful. The title sequence offers a unique twist in that some of the title cards see the top half pop further than the
bottom (though some with more clustered lists all remain at the same depth of field). They are set against an equally impressive snowy Alaskan
backdrop that is home to an enjoyable front-to-back stretch. While there are some scattered pop-put effects -- such as a sled dog's snout around the
30-minute mark -- this image is largely about creating a tangible and shapely sense of depth. Nearly every shot, save for very static and essentially
flat, anyway, close-ups, there's a distinct sense of space from front to back. Densely populated locations offer the most interesting and enjoyable 3D
depth. A stairway cuts across a living area in the girls' house seen in the first act. As they descend, it's easy to see how the staircase demarcates two
distinct portions of the room, and audiences will gain an appreciation for the room's scale and the distance between objects. Distance from characters
to backgrounds, the smaller spaces between individuals in crowds, and essential room and street-level depth are always made readily clear. It's a very
enjoyable 3D presentation. The movie works well in the format, allowing the richly decorated sets to breathe. The 3D review display unit, a Sony
XBR65Z9D, revealed very little in the way of crosstalk effects, though some sporadic ghosting was obvious. Some of the shortcomings readily evident
in the 2D presentation -- clumpy grain, print deterioration -- are nowhere near as obvious in 3D. Details are very firm and colors are rich and healthy.
This is another top-end 3D presentation from the 3-D Film Archive. Format fans will certainly want to pick this up, and not only for the great 3D; it's a
fun
little movie as well.
Those Redheads from Seattle features a pair of DTS tracks, one 2.0 and one 3.0. The Stereophonic 3.0 track, fully restored by the 3-D Film Archive, delivers the better listen, with improved fidelity, superior center vocal positioning in both dialogue and song, and it provides more detail to every component. Neither track qualifies as remarkable, but the 3.0 track at least delivers the film's rudimentary support sounds with serviceable definition though without much attention to fine-point sonic detail. Music and lyrics deliver with somewhat more impressive fidelity and detail. General dialogue lacks lifelike crispness but is always suitably defined and prioritized.
Those Redheads from Seattle contains several quality extras, including a very good commentary track.
Those Redheads from Seattle should find new life on the Blu-ray 3D format as a timeless guilty pleasure. The film is agreeably balanced, delivering dramatic content within its lighter moments of frivolity and catchy and well performed song-and-dance routines. Kino's Blu-ray 3D release, the beneficiary of another first-rate restoration from Bob Furmanek and 3-D Film Archive, is well worth watching. Audio is fine and the supplements are impressive. Highly recommended; this is a hidden classic gem and a welcome escape from the bland 3D conversions and poor quality blockbusters that otherwise dominate the format.
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