Well, dear readers, it’s the boards, isn’t it? Yes, Virginia, it’s the boards, those useless but somehow compulsive message boards. But not just any useless but somehow compulsive message board, oh, no, not just any useless but compulsive message board. For example, there are a few theater chat boards, none of which I really frequent all that much, with only an occasional post from the likes of me. No, it’s the damn Blu and Ray boards, where cliques reside, a cabal of know-it-all know-nothings who spout the most specious things about everything, but especially transfers, because, you know, they know best because – well, that’s always the question, isn’t it? Because? Because the reality is that none of these “experts” have any history with film. They are experts because they own a Blu-ray player, a projector, a TV, a big screen. And suddenly they can pontificate and use all those lovely catchphrases that they didn’t even know existed prior to the DVD age, but really prior to the Blu-ray age for most of them. I was pointed to a series of postings on what is, for me, maybe the worst of these places. In fact, I hadn’t visited there in a couple of years because the people there were so completely offensive and, more importantly, inane – they won’t bend on anything, they post screen caps that suit their purposes but have no bearing on anything because they extract a frame of film from a moving shot to prove some point about an aspect ratio – sorry, doesn’t work that way.
This particular thread was about Twilight Time, our very own Mr. Nick Redman’s Blu-ray label. This label, who put out incredible films, and has a pretty great track record in terms of the transfers they are given (they don’t work on the transfers at all), has garnered more hatred than any other label in history. In reality, it’s about fifteen to twenty people who attempt to do damage every day. On this particular board, one especially specious fellow who’s moniker happens to also be the name of a playwright, actually had the chutzpah to say the transfers of The Big Heat and Bonjour Tristesse were crap. He said the German Blu-ray of The Big Heat is much better. Oh, one small detail – there is no German Blu-ray of The Big Heat. You see the problem. He later admitted he was wrong about that and that he was talking about some 720p broadcast. He says there is STROBING in the transfer. Really? I’d like to know the exact time of the STROBING so I can see it because I certainly didn’t see it when I was watching and marveling at how great the transfer was. He thinks Bonjour Tristesse looks terrible. Really? I thought it was a spectacular Blu-ray transfer and that comes from someone who owned a spectacular IB Technicolor scope print of the film. He is sure about all of this, because as he tells everyone, he has a projector, like that makes him an expert. Of course, we don’t know what his settings are, we don’t know how far his throw is, we know nothing. Well, I know something – he is a twit. One person who took his side and agreed that The Big Heat when blown up and projected on a huge screen didn’t look good. Again, we have no idea about anything in terms of their set-up. This person did admit it looked great on his LED TV. That is what I have – an LED TV and it does look great. And I’m sure if I saw it via a calibrated projector of good quality, with a normal throw so that the image wasn’t being blown up into oblivion, well, I’m quite sure it would still look great. I know Bonjour Tristesse did, because I saw that via projector on a nice-sized screen at a Home Theatre Forum event. So, how can it look amazing on that projector and like crap on the playwright’s namesake’s projector? I think the smart people here probably know the answer.
There was also the person on another board who relentlessly and endlessly complained that the skies were all white in the Hello, Dolly Blu-ray. I took that gentleman on because someone had to. He would not quit, he would not back down, even though it was pointed out to him that all he had to do was go to the first shot of Vandergelder’s store to see a dazzling blue sky. The reason that some other shots have white sky is pretty obvious, but apparently this guy has never seen a day with complete cloud cover. In the very opening of the film, you get one angle with bright blue sky and then another angle with white cloud-covered sky. It’s called weather. But he wouldn’t look at the shot – which makes him a troll, plain and simple. He began to delight in annoying everyone. He also conveniently didn’t respond when everyone told him the DVD and laserdisc transfers, which are TERRIBLE, have the same cloud-covered sky. He also complained about the sound not being robust. Just take my word for it – it’s robust and great. He thought the laserdisc sound was better. No. It must be so disheartening for the studios to have to read this trash.
One fellow came in and said Dolly had blown-out whites (it doesn’t) – others immediately agreed (they shouldn’t have). Then one of the blown-out whites fellows came back and said he had his settings wrong and that it now looked fine. Too late, I’m afraid. Damage done. And damage they do, these know-it-all know-nothings. One just sits and wonders what these people did before they had a forum on the Internet. Certainly, they would never have written this crap in the form of a letter to the company releasing a title, or if they did write they’d be civil. Here, anonymously, they can do whatever they feel like without any fear of reprisal or consequence. And interestingly, the moderators of a couple of these boards side with the idiots and remove posts and ban people who actually know what they’re talking about and that includes me. I have happily been banned from several of these boards, and one particular board that a former dear reader writes for, repeatedly and now, apparently, for life, which is fine by me. The reviews on that site are just about the silliest on the Internet. And on it goes, and it’s never going to change. They don’t want professionals posting – it takes all the wind out of their endless pontificating about things they know nothing about. When a professional shows up and tries to set things straight, what do these yahoos do? Deride that person, find things on Google that they can post about that person, insult that person, and behave like a bunch of eight-year-old peckerwoods. Poor Nick, for having to put up with these know-it-all know-nothings. There are certain aspects of the Internet that are wonderful – these message boards are the lowest part of the Internet, a blight, a playground for childish misfits. I haz spoken.
Well, that was long. I did have a day yesterday. I got up, had my teeth cleaned by Dr. Chew, then came home and did a three-mile jog. Then I went to have lunch with a friend who is heading back to Canada for a month. Said friend lives way the hell out in Sunland/Tujunga – kind of the armpit of the foothills. We managed to find a Coco’s at least, where I had salmon in a spicy citrus sauce, and some vegetables, so a very low-cal meal. It was a nice lunch, I have some advice, and then I headed home. I stopped at the mail place and picked up some packages, after which I finally came home. I then answered e-mails, after which I read through the commentary I’d written the day before. I made some deletions, added a few things, and now I think it’s fine – I’ll read through it again over the weekend and see if there’s anything else I want to adjust. I then made a low-cal cheeseburger for the rest of my foodstuffs – really good. And under 1200 calories total for the day. I then sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched the latest episode of Mad Men. As per usual, some good things and some not good things. After that, I had to listen to some music, then I showered, and that was my day and that was my night, not necessarily in that order.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get a good night’s beauty sleep.
Today, I shall do a jog, I shall write some liner notes, I shall drive in the motor car, and I shall begin prepping our next release’s announcement. I’ll eat something light but amusing, and then I’m hopeful I’ll find time to relax and perhaps watch a motion picture on Blu and Ray.
The rest of the week is meetings and meals, writing, seeing a show on Saturday night, having a work session with our musical director, and doing other stuff I need to do.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, write some liner notes, do errands and whatnot, hopefully pick up some packages, prep, eat, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite Noel Coward songs? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland where I shall not be on the boards.