Hello this is a project I've considered proposing for a little while now. Back in 2012, 9 of Universal's classic Monster films were released on BD for the first time. For the most part they were positively received by the fans. However two things have caught my attention with two key films of those 9 restored films: Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. The issue with Bride has been discussed sporadically among some fans since the BD's release (http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku..._MSfSMrKCQ). I only a few months ago discovered something with the first Frankenstein.
First with the latter. The sequence of Henry and Fritz wheeling the slab with the corpse up the hill toward the gallows early in the film has been tweaked. Originally about midway through the sequence, just as they pass under a pointed rock formation in the foreground, it cut to them closer to the gallows. Either something was cut or missing here. For the BD the sequence has been repositioned so the scenery passes by seamlessly however the two men and the slab jumping forward is all more noticeable than it had been previously. Here's two GIFs to demonstrate what I mean.
First shows the original edit.
Second the BD edit.
Next Bride. This IMO is a bit more distracting then the edit to Frankenstein. It's the shot of the Monster approaching the hermit's cabin. It previously consisted of two shots, the first being farther away than the second. For the BD the first part of the sequence has been blown up to match the second part so the sequence looks more complete. However the editing is a bit jarring and a tree branch that was missing in the second half now magically 'disappears'. Below are GIFs to detail this change as well.
Original
BD (recreation)
Why these changes were made who knows?? Are they bad?? Not necessarily but it would be nice if they had been left alone. Perhaps this is a nitpicky topic but hey we need those from time to time right?? Anyways anyone by any chance be interested in attempting to restore the original edits to the BD versions and if so can provide any suggestions on how to do so?? I'm no master of upscaling and such so I won't be much help. The availability of the original edits isn't much a challenge. Any pre-2012 DVD release will have them. It's possible maybe the iTunes versions may have them since I remember renting an HD version of Frankenstein off iTunes a year or two before the BDs had been released that wasn't the BD print (obviously). Anyways let me know what you guys think.
(This post was last modified: 2016-10-11, 12:57 AM by crissrudd4554.)
First with the latter. The sequence of Henry and Fritz wheeling the slab with the corpse up the hill toward the gallows early in the film has been tweaked. Originally about midway through the sequence, just as they pass under a pointed rock formation in the foreground, it cut to them closer to the gallows. Either something was cut or missing here. For the BD the sequence has been repositioned so the scenery passes by seamlessly however the two men and the slab jumping forward is all more noticeable than it had been previously. Here's two GIFs to demonstrate what I mean.
First shows the original edit.
Second the BD edit.
Next Bride. This IMO is a bit more distracting then the edit to Frankenstein. It's the shot of the Monster approaching the hermit's cabin. It previously consisted of two shots, the first being farther away than the second. For the BD the first part of the sequence has been blown up to match the second part so the sequence looks more complete. However the editing is a bit jarring and a tree branch that was missing in the second half now magically 'disappears'. Below are GIFs to detail this change as well.
Original
BD (recreation)
Why these changes were made who knows?? Are they bad?? Not necessarily but it would be nice if they had been left alone. Perhaps this is a nitpicky topic but hey we need those from time to time right?? Anyways anyone by any chance be interested in attempting to restore the original edits to the BD versions and if so can provide any suggestions on how to do so?? I'm no master of upscaling and such so I won't be much help. The availability of the original edits isn't much a challenge. Any pre-2012 DVD release will have them. It's possible maybe the iTunes versions may have them since I remember renting an HD version of Frankenstein off iTunes a year or two before the BDs had been released that wasn't the BD print (obviously). Anyways let me know what you guys think.