Product: Star Is Born (UK PAL Region 0)
Rating: 2.0
WHERE IS THE UCLA RESTORED PRINT???
As with other fans of this classic film, I am greatly disappointed that KINO'S latest offering is not much of an improvement over previous KINO DVD releases of the film. While the IMAGE/KINO DVDs in 1998 and 2004 were at that time a marked improvement over the myriad of public domain travesties, the elements utilized for this release are only marginally better, despite the HD processing. This is also particularly disappointing when the film's fan base is aware that a restored print (by UCLA) exists.According to a March, 2010 blog-post by NY POST film critic Lou Lumenick, he said, "Daniel Selznick, son of producer David O. Selznick, told me two years ago that WHV was doing a high-definition transfer of a UCLA restoration of the 1937 original, which has long languished in public-domain hell." Lumenick also quoted a Warner rep as saying, "When we looked at the master of the '37 'A Star is Born,' we realized that it really needed, more importantly, deserved a special restoration...using our Ultra Resolution process to bring out the glorious Technicolor of that film. So rather than it be an add on...some less than-terrific extra content, we pulled it back so as not to diminish the importance of either versions."I suppose it was wishful thinking on my part that KINO would be releasing that long-awaited "restored" version. This will be the VERY last version I invest in until either Warner Home Video, Criterion or KINO offers us the ultimate version -- and that will only be when the restored print from the UCLA effort is finally utilized as the source material.Despite's the Selznick Estate's stamp of approval, I would suggest people save their money and wait.