Posts Tagged ‘Anniversary’
… been chronicling here.
I also think this is the first time I’ve managed to hit on the actual anniversary day (I set it in Outlook to remind me this year, all month it has been blinking blog anniversary). Although like every other year so far I don’t have anything big or appropriate prepared!
The last twelve months haven’t always been so easy, we lost a lot of the posts in the grand move over to a new host and I’ve found my attention wavering on more than one occasion. But as …
Comment by Margaret Smith: Happy three year anniversary! Using your analogy, I …
Tags: Anniversary Blog blogging Quit Your Day Job QYDJ
It’s been years if not decades that I last saw Gone With the Wind. We owned it on VHS, it was a big deal when it came out because the film is so long it had to be split up over two tapes and the box for it was therefore oversized and special. I watched it maybe once or twice back then as it was one of my Mother’s favourite films. I also remember it being a big deal when it was shown on television as well.
The thing was though that whilst I recognised the film for the important icon it was I really wasn’t interested and hence the twenty odd years since I last saw it.
Tracey on the other hand hated the film when she was young.
But since we both have apparently matured over the years, some more than others (^_~) we thought we might check it out again. The suggestion made easier when we found a Blu-ray copy for a reasonable price.
First thing that stuck out was that it isn’t in widescreen!!! The credits came up and there was no letterbox style screen, only an ugly box in the middle of the screen. Is this why it was cheap?!?!
Some quick Google research confirmed though that the film was not shot in widescreen format and that any widescreen versions had whole parts of the screen cropped out. Panic over. Happiness that they preserved the original format.
The sound is fantastic which is fortunate because the soundtrack is so epic that it is very nearly the definition of epic. Actually I’ve got to say that I didn’t find anything lacking in the sound department. The visuals every once and a while seemed to drop back to standard definition which in fairness is pretty okay in my book considering this is a 70 year old movie and I can’t imagine too many good prints floating around.
Because of the clarity you can make out some of the optical effects which again doesn’t detract from the film in any way, shape or form. Look out though when the carriages are making their way to Twelve Oaks at the start and you’ll see the overlay if that’s your idea of a good time.
What was awesome to see though is the King Kong set going up in flames and serving as the backdrop of Atlanta burning. It was a scene I wanted to see ever since I read about it a few years back. It’s an impressive shot and used to it’s full glory.
It’s the story and the characters that actually impressed me more than the transfer. The story is a lot more engaging than I remember it and I admire the Scarlett character a lot more this time round. Vivien Leigh delivers some amazing lines with such conviction and believability that even when she was being horrible you couldn’t help but still like her. I’m actually going to devote a whole post Rhett Butler because watching this again was a revelation of the impact Clark Gable’s performance on future characters, especially genre characters.
The Blu-ray copy also contains the overture music at the start of the film which plays before the credits, the only time I’ve ever encountered that before was Star Trek: The Motion Picture and that as only the remastered DVD version. The intermission music and title play (for quite a while – no need to stop the disc to make a quick cup of tea) and finally the exit music is attached at the end which I thought was a wonderful touch. It reminded me of the footage usually attached to the Universal monster movie Frankenstein where a guy comes out from behind the curtain and warns people with heart problems or nervous dispositions that they may wish to leave. It’s trying to capture some of that old Hollywood theatre.
So it’s not the usual kind of film that I review but I really enjoyed it and was completely taken in by the sweeping story.
Rating: 
I’m reasonably certain that I have bought Star Trek 2 the Wrath of Khan five times now with a potential sixth time around the corner.
First of all I’ve bought it on VHS twice, the first time was a ex rental copy followed by a home video version, then when the first DVD versions came out I bought it again with no special features or anything good. Then the special edition came out and I bought that version which was cool because it was slightly recut and had cool menus etc. Then the Star Trek movie pack came out with all the special edition movies at a reduced individual cost and a neat smaller box so I got that and replaced the couple of movies I already had in special edition.
Now I’m considering buying it on Blu-ray.
I don’t care that I’ve had to upgrade it several times as I love the movie and want it in it’s best possible format. What I do object to is the absolutely ridiculous price of the Blu-ray considering a couple of points:
- The film cost $11.2 million to make.
- It made $78,912,963 at the domestic box office
- I’ve bought five versions of the film, I don’t believe that I’m alone I’m sure there are a lot of Star Trek fans who have purchased at least two copies.
- I read somewhere that it costs around 20 to 25 cents to physically produce a Blu-ray (happy to be corrected here).
- The cheapest I can find Star Trek: Wrath of Khan on Blu-ray is $39
- I can buy Terminator 2: Judgement Day – Skynet Edition for $19.95
Now around the Sargent household an ugly thing has raised its head. An ugly horrible thing that makes me want to hide in the cupboard clutching my rare Evil Dead figurines shaking in terror.
Budget.
ARRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!
I know it’s almost too horrible to even think about!!
Apparently if we want to go overseas, eat and remain clothed with a roof above our heads battle damaged Iron Man helmet replicas have to be cut back on as well as some other ‘luxuries’.
By luxuries I guess I’m talking about bloody price gouging Blu-rays.
But there is a way you can help!
After contacting my local Blu-ray price gouging… I mean store and offering to draw them pictures in exchange for over priced Blu-rays they advised me that it was against store policy and preceded to lecture me on the nature of commerce and the exchange of money for goods and or services.
So it got me thinking.
How about I draw pictures for you guys? I mean I do anyway but this way you can get some original art from me and I can get some sweet Blu-ray money without hurting the budget.
But I also know that a lot of you are in the same boat as me, the HMAS Budget (it’s a garbage scow) and I’m not about to start gouging you too so there are other ways to help too.
So in support of high definition KHAAAAAAAAAN!!!! I have drawn a five card set inspired by Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan which I’m selling for $25 AU including postage anywhere!
Buy the set of cards in the Quit Your Day Job shop.
These are the original cards not reproductions, each signed on the back by me so there is only one set available and so it’s a first in situation. Remember these are inspired by the film and I am not affiliated with Paramount Pictures so please don’t ask me to do reproductions or prints.
Now if you don’t want these cards or are stuck on board the stoopid HMAS Budget you can still get in on the action.
I’m giving away one Star Trek themed artist sketch card of any character or scene in the Star Trek universe of the winner’s choice.
All you have to do to go into the draw is to mention the Wrath of Khan card set on your blog or Twitter or Facebook or Forum etc. and leave a comment here telling me about it. Competition will run until the card set is sold and then I shall drop all names into a hat of some sort and select a winner at random then email them and ask what they want the card to look like.
You can enter as many times as you like, each mention gets you an entry (but you got to tell me about it to make sure!).
Of course it should be mentioned that you could have your cake and eat it too, buy the card set and mention that on your blog quickly and you’ll go into the hat as well (a very quick buyer could guarantee themselves a win *wink).
***UPDATE – The cards have already been sold!***
