The Gold Rush - WB vs Image

Once again I find myself generally disappointed with the new WB NTSC version of
a CC film, TGR in this case. While the film looks generally good, sharpness and
black levels ok, the cropping (or overscanning) is horrendous. When CC looks at
the map, you're supposed to see both of his hands in the closeup. You don't.

The Jim Sourdough sign is quite cropped as well. I found I could easily make up
for the slightly diminished black levels & sharpness of the Image disc with my
tv and dvd player controls. The audio track was superior on the WB, with a lot
more level, BUT the speed up was definitely noticible and annoying on the
narration.

The one thing that makes the WB set worth it is the silent GR. It looks as good
as any I've seen and the music is very nicely done; just piano, which is fine
when it's done well.

I've seen the WB GD now and the 4% speedup made Hannah sound like a munchkin to
these ears. Print looked great though.

(Phil P) writes:
> Once again I find myself generally disappointed with the new WB NTSC version of
> a CC film, TGR in this case. While the film looks generally good, sharpness and
> black levels ok, the cropping (or overscanning) is horrendous. When CC looks at
> the map, you're supposed to see both of his hands in the closeup. You don't.
>
> The Jim Sourdough sign is quite cropped as well.

I believe this cropping occurred when Chaplin added the soundtrack, because
the picture is identical on the old CBS/Fox VHS. The Image has full aperture
because David Shepard found a full aperture print and was able to add sound
to it without cropping--an advantage of video over film.

But the picture is so clear in the MK2 that you can read the grave marker
without a close-up. They somehow managed to get more of the "JAIL" sign
in than the CBS/Fox--enough that one can make it out, though not all of it.


I found I could easily make up
> for the slightly diminished black levels & sharpness of the Image disc with my
> tv and dvd player controls.

Not possible on mine. I tried it.


The audio track was superior on the WB, with a lot
> more level, BUT the speed up was definitely noticible and annoying on the
> narration.
>
> The one thing that makes the WB set worth it is the silent GR. It looks as good
> as any I've seen and the music is very nicely done; just piano, which is fine
> when it's done well.
>
> I've seen the WB GD now and the 4% speedup made Hannah sound like a munchkin to
> these ears. Print looked great though.

I think we need DVD players with pitch and variable speed controls, so that
every viewer can be satisfied. I can't hear the speedup at all. I must be
tone deaf. :-)

Connie K.
--
"Our century is inconceivable without its . . . inconclusive mob of isms."