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AVSForum (Blu-ray) Spotlight: Experiment In Terror (1962) & Our Man Flint (1966)

2K views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  mbw23air 
#1 ·
Twilight Time and Screenarchives.com Present 2 Limited Edition Blu-ray Releases


Experiment In Terror (1962)


Our Man Flint (1966)


Greetings,


Twilight Time is a boutique brand that produces high quality, limited edition transfers of mainstream and lost Hollywood Classics. They only produce 3000 copies per title and are available exclusively through Screenarchives.com. I was interested in the company and their releases when they put out 1985s Fright Night in a limited run of which I didn't get a copy (so if you are interested in a release, act quick!). I am happy to report that their transfers are superb and the utmost care has gone into their releases.


Lee



Experiment In Terror



Overview:

Experiment in Terror (1962) is the story of a San Francisco working girl (Lee Remick) stalked by a wheezing psychopath (Ross Martin) intent on forcing her to rob the bank where she works…or else. Fearing for the safety of her younger sister (Stefanie Powers) even more than for her own, our heroine pluckily makes secret contact with an FBI agent (Glenn Ford), hoping to foil the psycho before he can carry out his sinister threats.

Quick Specs:

Run Time: 123 mins, Rated NR, Audio Format: English 5.1 DTS-HD MA, Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1, Region FREE, Blu-ray Disc release Date: January 15th, 2012. Limited Edition of 3,000 Units.


Quick Thoughts:

I should be saying Experiment in Terror is a chilling neo-noir thriller that kept me riveted and on the edge of my seat. But some 50 years later, it stands as a great piece of film-making, but its edge is lost on my jaded and dulled senses. It had wonderful cinematography by Philip Lathrop, a highly effective jazzy score from Henry Mancini, a welcome early diversion from what we know Black Edwards (The Pink Panther) as a director for and an eye opening look (for me) at Lee Remick. I know the Later Lee Remick as Katherine Thorn in the Omen, but seeing her here in her 20s...man, she was hot!
I am glad to have seen Experiment in Terror and think fans of cinema will get quite a bit out this film.


A/V-wise, the B&W cinematography looked lush and detailed, with stellar black levels. It is all we hope for in a HD B&W transfer. The lossless audio-track was farmed from a mono source, and qualms of the "purists" aside, it is highly effective and not overdone. Rears are just used for ambiance, and the front sound-stage is precise. Mancini's score sounds dynamic and bold, but things do peter off with dull and lifeless gunshots.



Special Features:

· Isolated Score Track

· Trailers and TV Spots

· Julie Kirgo liner notes







Our Man Flint



Overview:

Derek Flint (James Coburn)—super-spy, man of multifarious skills, playboy extraordinaire—has his hands full in Our Man Flint (1966), the Bond spoof to end all Bond spoofs. With a team of mad scientists plotting to rule the world by controlling the weather, Flint is called into action by the chief (Lee J. Cobb) of Z.O.W.I.E.—Zonal Organization for World Intelligence and Espionage. Now he must contend with a seductive counter-agent (Gila Golan) and her evil cohort (Edward Mulhare), in a race against time to save the swinging world as we know it.




Quick Specs:

Run Time: 108 mins, Rated NR, Audio Format: English 1.0 DTS-HD MA, Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1, Region FREE, Blu-ray Disc release Date: January 15th, 2012. Limited Edition of 3,000 Units.


Quick Thoughts:

Part Hue Hefner, part MacGvyer, a dash of Austin Powers, and a shot of...well mix it all up, but make sure its shaken, not stirred. "Our Man Flint" capitalizes on the 60s spy film craze by spoofing on it. Not in a complete slapstick way, and much more fluid and smarter then 1967s Casino Royale, the 007 spoof staring Niven and Sellers. Here we have James Coburn as the spy Derek Flint. The irony in his name is that he goes off on his mission armed with only a lighter. OK isn't any ordinary lighter, it has 80 some odd functions. Colburn surprised me here with his ability to be cool, and funny...I had never seen him this slick. Any fans of spy flicks, and good comedy will really dig this lost film that is a tripped out wacky 60s film, but doesn't seem all too dated here on 2013... I am glad to have discovered this gem!


Quality wise, Our Man Flint is an interesting one, as it has some tremendously good looking moments and elements, but somehow the sum of its parts come up just a bit flat. Colors pop in the Technicolor dreamy 60s way, and some shots exude fine details. Unfortunately the colors do roast a bit warm and moments of "stock footage" has an apparent difference in quality. The audio track is rambunctious, loud and fun, but not a completely enveloping sound-field as the track is monaural, however there is stereo track of Jerry Goldsmiths score available.


Special Features:

· Isolated Score Track

· Audio Commentary with Film Historians Lee Pfeiffer and Eddy Friedfeld

· Derek Flint: A Spy is Born

· Directing Flint: Daniel Mann

· Spy-er-ama

· Spy Style

· Flint vs Kael

· A Gentleman's Game

· Perfect Bouillabaisse

· Screen Tests

· Storyboard Sequences

· Original Theatrical Trailer

· Original Trailer

· Extensive Julie Kirgo liner notes















Lee Weber
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews





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#3 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph Potts  /t/1451918/avsforum-blu-ray-spotlig...or-1962-our-man-flint-1966/0_40#post_22831908


Greetings,


This is great stuff Lee! You're right Lee Remick was a stunner back in the day. I haven't seen Experiment in Terror but will have to check it out.



Regards,

Thanks Ralph. Its worth checking out.
 
#4 ·
And what did you think when you compared "Our Man Flint" with your DVD of the same movie? (I.e. does "utmost care" matter for this film?)


Also what's your take on the purpose of "limited edition" in digital reproductions? Why should anyone care, except to belittle the artifice?


(Suggested edit: In your intro there are tooo many eee's in the seller's website name.)
 
#5 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by trackavsforum  /t/1451918/avsforum-blu-ray-spotlig...or-1962-our-man-flint-1966/0_40#post_22836096


And what did you think when you compared "Our Man Flint" with your DVD of the same movie? (I.e. does "utmost care" matter for this film?)


Also what's your take on the purpose of "limited edition" in digital reproductions? Why should anyone care, except to belittle the artifice?


(Suggested edit: In your intro there are tooo many eee's in the seller's website name.)

I do not have the DVD of Flint, and I had not seen it before this viewing. Sorry I cant be of help with that comparison.


As far as the limited edition, they have only sold out of a few titles, so it's a smart decision as they still have stock on many releases. They run a pressing and move on. They are a little company and do not sell at stores, amazon etc....I have no issue with limited runs for the caliber of quality and odd titles they are releasing.
 
#8 ·
I always enjoyed the "Flint" movies =- a good combination of plot and action, all of it done with a little humor.

They never took themselves too seriously.


I once searched the web trying to find the ringtone from the 'red phone' so I could download it.

Never had any luck so anyone who finds it or has the dvd and downloads it, let me know!


Paul
 
#9 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by ArmyMan  /t/1451918/avsforum-blu-ray-spotlight-experiment-in-terror-1962-our-man-flint-1966#post_22843025


I always enjoyed the "Flint" movies =- a good combination of plot and action, all of it done with a little humor.

They never took themselves too seriously.


I once searched the web trying to find the ringtone from the 'red phone' so I could download it.

Never had any luck so anyone who finds it or has the dvd and downloads it, let me know!


Paul
There's a .wav file on this page. http://www.smartphoneforums.com/forums/kyocera-7135-downloads/50563-our-man-flint-ring-tone.html
 
#11 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boundless  /t/1451918/avsforum-blu-ray-spotlight-experiment-in-terror-1962-our-man-flint-1966#post_22843708


g4s: > Another great old James Coburn movie "The President's Analyst" would be nice to see on Blu-ray.


Do acceptable elements still exist?

My recollection is that this was filmed during the pits of the Eastmancolor fade era.
I hope they still exist. I just took a look at my DVD copy of it. It's anamorphic and looks pretty clean. It says color by Technicolor.
 
#12 ·
I remember seeing it in the theaters in the 60s as a young teen. Lots of fun.


Paul, I wanted the same thing and tried recording it off my DVD previously to convert to a ringtone but was not very successful.


Cinema13: Heads up! The Twilight Time catalog on the disc lists "In Like Flint" in the next few months. Good news. Preferred the first though.
 
#13 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chazcdc54  /t/1451918/avsforum-blu-ray-spotlight-experiment-in-terror-1962-our-man-flint-1966#post_22845541


I remember seeing it in the theaters in the 60s as a young teen. Lots of fun.



Cinema13: Heads up! The Twilight Time catalog on the disc lists "In Like Flint" in the next few months. Good news. Preferred the first though.

Thanks! Just noticed it yesterday...ETA is February 12th. (I agree that the first one is better.)
 
#14 ·
Just watched Experiment in Terror this weekend. I really enjoyed it, especially seeing San Fran in the 60's after visiting there a few years ago. Does anyone know what movie that was playing at the theater? I assume it was a Buster Keaton film, right?


Thanks,

Mike
 
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