Dracula (1958): Restored UK Master

[The Aluminum Falcon]

Project Info
Despite being restored by the BFI, Dracula's UK Blu-Ray release has been met with no small amount of controversy. The image is a lot cooler and darker than previous releases.

Using the recently recovered Japanese 35mm reels and the trailer as a rough reference, it seems that the color timing was indeed incorrect but actually closer than previous home video releases. In this vein, this preservation removes the worst of the blue cast, restoring flesh tones to a natural hue, and also brightens the image, which looked unnaturally dim. However, this does not emulate the color timing of the WB US DVD master, which is far too warm and magenta, looking to have been also taken from a low-contrast interpositive, ruining the mood of the original photography. 

The commercial UK BD is encoded at 24fps, an unusual format which causes issues with some Blu-Ray players; this custom BD has been normalized to 23.976fps, with the audio tracks having been slightly resynced (without any pitch shift) to fit.

Video

• UK BD - color-corrected to remove blue cast and brightened
  

Audio

• 2.0 LPCM English Audio
  
• 2.0 LPCM Commentary
  

Screenshots
UK BD


Restored UK Master


UK BD


Restored UK Master


UK BD


Restored UK Master


UK BD


Restored UK Master


UK BD


Restored UK Master


Project Status
Ninth project completed and released!

Final Product
1080p BD25

[PDB]

Looks good Falcon. The skin tones are much better now

I had forgotten all about the 24fps thing so it will be nice to get the correct speed also.

[Chewtobacca]

24fps is fully in spec for BD, so I wouldn't worry about it too much: it was more AVCHDs at 24fps that caused problems than BDs. But converting to 23.976fps is, of course, fine too.

Falcon, your Hammer releases look excellent, especially given the color problems that plague the less-than-ideal sources available.  You're on fire at the moment!

[The Aluminum Falcon]

Now available in the usual places!

Brides of Dracula is coming soon in both 1.66 and 1.78.

If you check my release thread, I've unfortunately had to indefinitely postpone my release of the 1979 Dracula and am now taking suggestions for what I'll do next.

[PDB]

Thanks Falcon.

[scalon]

I'm eventually going to download these just as soon as I find them. Thank you so much for the release! I can't wait to get them

[The Aluminum Falcon]

Warner Archive is releasing Dracula domestically at last - https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Horror-of...ray/43453/

Early reviews seem to suggest that Warner has successfully color-corrected it to remove the blue cast, much as this custom. However, they have also crushed the black levels and not reinstated the rediscovered Japanese footage. Needless to say, I'll be comparing it to my old release soon

I suspect that honestly if a V2 of this would follow, it would try to use the DE Blu-Ray (which has an even longer ending than the UK Blu-Ray) graded somewhere between V1 and the US disc. Unfortunately, that disc has gone out of print, so welp...

---

In other news, Prince of Darkness has a new release for Scream that's a 4K restoration. It's a bit of a joke. Taken from what seems to be an IP taken from an internegative rather than the OCN, the grain levels are utterly atrocious, probably due to the grainy techniscope stock and the higher generation, though I suspect that some sharpening may have also been at play here to compensate for a higher generation element's innate softness.

Luckily, my Brides of Dracula release has no competition to speak of, though one can dream of a nice 4K restoration of that...

[PDB]

Warner Archive is releasing Dracula domestically at last - https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Horror-of...ray/43453/

Early reviews seem to suggest that Warner has successfully color-corrected it to remove the blue cast, much as this custom. However, they have also crushed the black levels and not reinstated the rediscovered Japanese footage. Needless to say, I'll be comparing it to my old release soon

I suspect that honestly if a V2 of this would follow, it would try to use the DE Blu-Ray  (which has an even longer ending than the UK Blu-Ray) graded somewhere between V1 and the US disc. Unfortunately, that disc has gone out of print, so welp...

One step forward, two steps back. Shame about the extra footage. TAF have you heard if the titles are Dracula or HOD? I assumed Dracula...

Didn't know about the German disc. Hope you find it. It would make a great project even better.

In other news, Prince of Darkness has a new release for Scream that's a 4K restoration. It's a bit of a joke. Taken from what seems to be an IP taken from an internegative rather than the OCN, the grain levels are utterly atrocious, probably due to the grainy techniscope stock and the higher generation, though I suspect that some sharpening may have also been at play here to compensate for a higher generation element's innate softness.

Luckily, my Brides of Dracula release has no competition to speak of, though one can dream of a nice 4K restoration of that...

That's a shame about POD, I was waiting for a copy. Compared to the UK (and US) master, is it worse or better? Those transfer(s) were not the best.

[captainsolo]

I'm waiting for my HOD disc to arrive but was waiting for the reviews on PoD since Shout is well..Shout.

[PDB]

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/blu-ray_r...lu-ray.htm

The Warner does look better color-wise, especially in the skintones. In fact, that shot of Van Helsing is pretty close to yours TAF.