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DVD Description
Ealing Studio's output from the 1940s and 1950s helped define what was arguably the golden age for British cinema, fostering great directors such as Alexander Mackendrick and Rober Hamer and giving stars such as Alex Guiness and Peter Sellers a chance to shine.
The films (16 discs); Kind Hearts and Coronets The Ladykillers The Lavender Hill Mob The Man in the White Suit The Magnet Passport to Pimlico The Titfield Thunderbolt Whisky Galore Champagne Charlie Dead of Night The Maggie Scott of the Antarctic Nicholas Nickleby Went The Day Well It Always Rains on Sunday
Special Features
Original trailers Photo galleries Introductions from Ealing expert George Perry Documentary - 'Forever Ealing' Artcards
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
553 of 559 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Most film lovers are aware of the legacy Ealing Studios left to the nation and indeed the film world - and here is a small snapshot of some of their more famous films from over 100 in their history. The comedies are naturally the ones that are more instantly recognisable and enough has been said elsewhere about their lasting memory of class, quality and humour. Ealings output tho covered many other genres and it was a rare year that there wasn't a classic film made out of Ealing Studios that has stood the test of time today.
Unfortunately - as much as I would love to fully recommend this collection I must warn would be purchasers that for the most part the films are shoddily presented by Canal/Optimum and have been given little or no remastering or restoration.
Most of the transfers were done in the 80's and early 90's onto old 1" C format open reel tapes and used to duplicate onto the original VHS releases for Warner Home Video. These were done using pretty much the first print that came to hand - often an original (i.e. from the 40's/50's) In those days before HD, plasma, LCD, and indeed the infancy of surround "Dolby Digital" sound the transfers were adequate and served their purpose.
Many of the comedies 1" masters suffered heavy "rotation" at the duplication factory. It was general practice to review and to often commission a new transfer once the masters went above 50 rotations (each rotation meant loss of oxide on the tape and a weaker signal:noise ratio). However for most old films it was never considered value for money to strike a new duplication master.
When DVD came about it was decided again not to strike new masters for most of the films but to simply re-record the 1" onto Digibeta with no intermediary remastering. Sadly these releases are still using those old old transfers with all the inherent problems of the original film plain to see and hear. (the sound is probably the worst thing about all these releases)
What makes this particularly sad is that many of the films had brand new prints struck from the original negatives in the early 90's for a season at the Barbican. New transfers from these prints would have elicited a superb presentation.
wonderful films - awful discs. shame.
Unfortunately - as much as I would love to fully recommend this collection I must warn would be purchasers that for the most part the films are shoddily presented by Canal/Optimum and have been given little or no remastering or restoration.
Most of the transfers were done in the 80's and early 90's onto old 1" C format open reel tapes and used to duplicate onto the original VHS releases for Warner Home Video. These were done using pretty much the first print that came to hand - often an original (i.e. from the 40's/50's) In those days before HD, plasma, LCD, and indeed the infancy of surround "Dolby Digital" sound the transfers were adequate and served their purpose.
Many of the comedies 1" masters suffered heavy "rotation" at the duplication factory. It was general practice to review and to often commission a new transfer once the masters went above 50 rotations (each rotation meant loss of oxide on the tape and a weaker signal:noise ratio). However for most old films it was never considered value for money to strike a new duplication master.
When DVD came about it was decided again not to strike new masters for most of the films but to simply re-record the 1" onto Digibeta with no intermediary remastering. Sadly these releases are still using those old old transfers with all the inherent problems of the original film plain to see and hear. (the sound is probably the worst thing about all these releases)
What makes this particularly sad is that many of the films had brand new prints struck from the original negatives in the early 90's for a season at the Barbican. New transfers from these prints would have elicited a superb presentation.
wonderful films - awful discs. shame.
84 of 93 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Ealing made around a 100 films but the same 20 or so get continually trotted out in various repackaged box sets. As good as these films are what we want to see are all the other Ealing films on DVD , even if they are only limited runs. There are enough Ealing film fans Worldwide to justify their issue so what`s the problem ?
26 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Overall, a great collection of the Ealing movies, let down a bit by the quality of some of the transfers to DVD.
No problems playing them though, which was good.
Overall, recommended.
The Definitive Ealing Studios Collection [DVD]
No problems playing them though, which was good.
Overall, recommended.
The Definitive Ealing Studios Collection [DVD]
Most Recent Customer Reviews
ealing studios
you just can not beat the old films. ealing make some brilliant classics. films all generations will watch. these are the films that are a pleasure to see again and again. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Mrs. Lesley Smith
ealing: the bests of '40 and '50
Very very good english films of the '40 and '50, in all styles and genres, from family comedy to fantastic. Read more
Published 10 months ago by marc belisle
NO SUBTITLES
Irrespective of any other quality issues prospective purchasers
of this set (original RRP £119. Read more
of this set (original RRP £119. Read more
Published 13 months ago by M. J. Adams
Delivery was terrible
Ordered the product on 2nd December it is now 4th January and still I have not
Received the item! Read more
Received the item! Read more
Published 17 months ago by Pixiedustjt
Brings Back Memories
I have enjoyed watching these old Ealing Comedies from the Golden Age of British Film. Not only are they amusing and a joy to watch they remind you of a lost age and how we used to... Read more
Published 17 months ago by D. R. Smith
Death by Nostalgia
My husband Patrick grew up in Ealing, a suburb of London, England, during and after World War II, when the films in this collection were made. Read more
Published 22 months ago by R. J. Scott
Funny English people
A very good selection, that is to say, more hits than misses. If you like this you might like the Hammer box set, or vice versa: the more x-rated English studio
Published 23 months ago by Maighread Medbh
Ealing Studios 16 Box Set DVD'S
Bought this box set for my fiancee, I'm sure he'll love watching all these great films over Christmas as will i. Very good value for money too, very pleased.
Published on 21 Dec 2009 by patricia ardron
Ealing box set
Very poor movies apart from Kind Hearts and Coronets, Laykillers and Man in White Suit. Was hoping for some undiscovered gems, but was sadly disappointed. Read more
Published on 23 Jun 2007 by Network English
Not a review,just a query about content
I am writing this as a review since it doesn't seem possible to write this as a product update. This is listed as 16 discs or 16 movies. But you have listed only 15. Read more
Published on 24 Feb 2007 by HP
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