It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) 1991 Cut in HD

[Dek Rollins]

This is a project I've wanted to tackle for some time now, and recently I figured I better start getting ready to make or I'll let it sit on back burner forever. What I aim to do, if the thread title isn't obvious, is to recreate the 1991 restored LaserDisc cut of this classic film using the Criterion restoration of the roadshow cut as a primary video source. I grew up watching the 1991 cut on the double VHS release, and I really think that restoration, though technically less complete overall, creates a more complete film with overall better pacing.

Probably the biggest reason I wanted to do this is because the "Ray... hit him!" bit was cut from the Criterion restoration, and it's one of my favorite moments of the scene (I believe it wasn't included because they found it wasn't actually in the roadshow cut).

Anyway, I'm here to ask for help on getting the LaserDisc source in the best quality. I was planning on using a LaserDisc capture that's on MySpleen as the source, but I had trouble using a decomb filter on it (I'm not very familiar with deinterlacing methods, especially with LDs). The capture itself also seems rather poor quality compared to some I've seen of other films (heavily compressed video with a lot of composite color artifacts).

So, does anybody have a good capture of this LD, or have a good method of getting a progressive scan conversion?

[X5gb]

As far as I am aware, the scenes you require are all part of the deleted scenes of the original two sided US dvd release, The quality as far as I remember was better than any laserdisc preservation. Unfortunately I no longer have the disc to hand to check but there may be other members here who do.

[Dek Rollins]

That's pretty neat. I never had the DVD so I can maybe pick it up if nobody here has it yet. It would definitely be better and easier than LD.

[X5gb]

Its the original MGM flipper disc you need, the later one sided release omitted alot of the extras including the deleted scenes.

[Dek Rollins]

I actually ordered the original double-sided disc, but when it was delivered, it was the 2006 release! (which of course uses the 2003 single-sided disc). So I still have to get a hold of it, haha.

[X5gb]

A few listings on Ebay, one showing cover with the extra's listed on back.

[Dek Rollins]

I have the correct DVD ripped and ready. Once it's converted to progressive scan, I'll get to the hard part... the actual reconstruction. And even more than that, I'll have to fix errors that were made on the Criterion restoration along the way.

I noticed in the scene where they fail to call Sylvester and the Englishman describes what kind of chap his brother-in-law Reggie is, when the video switches to a different source for the extended bit, six frames are repeated. Look here:

http://www.framecompare.com/image-compar...n/DL77GNNX

That's the same frame, five frames apart from each other. I'll have to look out for any more mistakes that might show up.

[Dek Rollins]

About a quarter through editing and I'm surprised that there are a few instances of entirely different footage/shots being used between the different sources. Some whole sequences are even put in a different order, so that sort of thing cropping up gets tedious, haha.

[Dek Rollins]

Finished editing. I'll take tomorrow to check everything and finish color correcting the extended bits.

[X5gb]

Look forward to seeing your results.