MovieChat Forums > The Big Combo (1955) Discussion > Running time.

Running time.

posted 18 years ago by jemkat
3 replies | jump to latest

Running time given on imdb = 89 min. Running time of my dvd (Geneon)= 84 min. I bought this DVD because I had very strong memories of seeing this film on TV 25 or so years ago, but thought that there was a short introductory sequence before the opening credits. Am I right, or am I getting this picture mixed up with another Richard Conte flick from around the same time? Can anyone familiar with this movie (and not just the DVD version)give me any info on this..and if there is no opening sequence as I remember, how do you account for the missing 5 minutes?

Jake

[–] robelanator 18 years ago

According to DVD Beaver (see link 1 below), the Geneon DVD is made from a PAL source. PAL, used in Europe and Australia, plays films at 25 frames per second rather than the standard 24 frames per second, a 4% faster rate (see link 2 below for an explanation) which accounts for the shorter running running time.

Link 1:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews16/big_combo_dvd_review.htm

Link 2:
http://www.michaeldvd.com.au/Articles/PALSpeedUp/PALSpeedUp.asp

[–] jemkat 18 years ago

Thanks for your reply robelnator, I appreciate it. The thought that the time discrepancy was the result of Pal speed-up had crossed my mind, but I had dismissed it seeing as I had bought the disc from the states! Just goes to show!

Jake

[–] liscarkat (16592) a month ago

Before I could comment on whether or not the version I saw had the same opening sequence as the one you saw, you would have to describe that sequence. But it doesn't matter, because you wrote the OP eighteen years ago. For all I know, you're probably dead by now.