MovieChat Forums > Becky Sharp (1935) Discussion > Becky Sharp's color

Becky Sharp's color

posted 19 years ago by rengeo
9 replies | jump to latest

If you are interested in the COLOR in the first Three-strip-technicolor film, keep your hands off the "Alpha-Video" version! I should've been suspicious because of the low price, but what had planned to be a nice evening in "Glorious Technicolor", turned into a most disappointing experience. Since the film was restored back in the eighties, I was sure that no one would dared to use any other material for a DVD-release. This is most probably the Cinecolor version, because it locks just as bad as "The dancing pirate" (the 3. Technicolor-film), which was also re-released in the fourties in "Cinecolor". Does anyone know, if there is any other Becky Sharp-DVD around?

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] bok602 19 years ago

As of this date -11 MAY 2005- there is as yet no commercially released VHS or DVD of the restored UCLA print.

It does show up once in a great while on AMC during their film preservation film festivals and that would be your best bet for getting a copy of it (that the Gods for DVD recorders).

The Alpha Video DVD is an abomination, but if you just desperately need a Becky Sharp fix, it's worth looking at.

"If you don't know the answer -change the question."

[–] nateba 18 years ago

Tape it off Turner Classic Movies. I recall them as having a pretty decent copy.

cinefreak

[–] hollywwood 17 years ago

Alpha does not have the Cinecolor version. I had the Cinecolor version on VHS once. It had been retitled "Lady of Fortune" and it ran only 67 minutes! Alpha has the complete version of "Beck Sharp", but it's a fairly grainy copy. Very disappointing! I wish that one of the major companies would release the ultimate DVD edition. Alpha has also put out the 1932 version of this story, called "Vanity Fair", starring Myrna Loy. It's a low-budget, but interesting film. I liked comparing the two versions. The 1932 version was updated, and there were some pretty nifty ways of relating circumstances from the period of the original story into that of the 1930's. It was also pre-code, and in certain sections was delightfully racy!

[–] nateba 17 years ago

I've got to give credit to Alpha. In terms of quality they may not be much to write home about, but they make it possible to see films which would not see the light of day otherwise.

cinefreak

[–] hollywwood 17 years ago

I'll agree to that. Alpha does have some very good rare films. In fact, at times, the quality of their films can be excellent. It's hit or miss with Alpha. The color of their "Beck Sharp" is vibrant. I just wish they could have gotten an image that wasn't grainy. There is another print of "Becky Sharp" circulating on a Classic Literature multi-film gift set which has very weak color and an image that's twice as grainy as Alpha's! So, I guess for the moment we can thank Alpha for giving us the best that's available on the market.

[–] HarlowMGM 15 years ago

Yes Alpha is great for "poverty row" movies starring "C" level stars that nobody else bothers to release but I think they should stay away from major movies that have fallen into public domain because those are usually easy to locate, often at dollar stores.

[–] Xcalat3 14 years ago

thanks for the info

When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...

[–] JackBluegrass 9 years ago

Netflix just sent me the 2004 Alpha Video (its catalogue #ALP 4438D) DVD which is pretty bad quality. But, it is cheap. Sound is harsh and dialogue is fast and barely understandable. Color fades in and out.

Until the UCLA restoration of the original is available, apparently this is the best we can expect.

With all that, it was an ambitious attempt by Mamoulian to impress audiences accustomed to B/W features with a sweeping story - filled with a lot of "colorful" characters - that did show the potential for greatness that a Technicolor feature could achieve.

Technicolor cinematographer Ray Rennehan and the ever-present quirky Technicolor advisor Natalie Kalmus did good for 1935.

E pluribus unum