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Posted: |
Jan 16, 2014 - 12:28 PM
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By: |
MOVIEBUFF
(Member)
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Browsing internet sites such as Amazon and E-Bay, I have seen a huge number of soundtracks appearing on the ‘Hallmark’ label, Taras Bulba, Mutiny On The Bounty, Bridge On The River Kwai, Spartacus, 10 Commandments, Big Country, Breakfast at Tiffanys, etc, etc. These seem to originate from the UK. Buyer beware, these are the most appalling transfers from worn out vinyl copies, no attempt made to clean up the sound, they come complete with distortion, clicks, pops, wow, jumps. Obviously copied with the most basic software.
They have reproduced the original artwork, with the exception of some Disney titles, I wonder why?
Ok they may be legal in Europe, but they are a disgrace and an insult to both artists and buyers.
If you get sucked in and buy one of these titles, please return immediately to the seller and demand a full refund.
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A few days ago at Amoeba Records I picked up the Hallmark PORGY AND BESS soundtrack. Just to add to the general sonic shoddiness, the packaging credits the movie actors, not the actual vocalists: Sidney Poitier instead of McFerrin, for instance. They even credit Sammy Davis Jr., who did do his own singing in the film but is not heard on the album due to contractual reasons, instead of Cab Calloway.
It only cost a few bucks, and it's worth it to me to hear the Previn arrangements of Gershwin, but I'll be glad when a decent-sounding, legitimate release can replace the Hallmark CD. God speed the day.
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Good legit copies of Porgy and Bess do turn up at reasonable prices, you just have to keep looking and wait, but that’s part of the fun in collecting. It’s rare but not as rare as the film itself which has been in legal limbo for around 50 years.
Another question is would we rather have a bad CD transfer from a worn out LP or nothing at all. Personally I don’t buy ‘Public Domain’ videos or CDs. Had too many disappointments in the past.
That's true, "Porgy and Bess" is no longer as rare as it used to be a few years ago.
Your criticism on bad quality transfers from Hallmark is correct (that is unless they are copying straight from official releases), but there's plenty material on Hallmark CDs (and downloads) that has never been re-issued by the previous owners for fifty years.
Also, public domain is not public domain: there are collectors' labels like Sepia who re-issue public domain material properly mastered and annotated. There's no reason for me to believe that a transfer of a 1930s 78 will sound better on an official release than on a Sepia CD - that is if the original source materials have been lost to time. Unfortunately, Hallmark is not one of those "quality" labels as they are focusing mainly on the readily available big names combined with (most of the time) poor transfers. Still, there's the rare title here and there that's worth exploring...
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"Good legit copies" of PORGY AND BESS? Really? On CD, not LP? What do you guys know that I don't know? This damn Hallmark is the first and only PORGY soundtrack CD I've ever seen.
You've sent me scurrying over to Amazon out of curiosity; I do see one or two import CD's, which may or may not be "legit," but which are hardly of reasonable price these days.
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Posted: |
Apr 25, 2016 - 11:53 AM
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By: |
Wedge
(Member)
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Here's a link to the amazon.co.uk listing of the official European pressing by Sony:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Porgy-Bess-Various/dp/B000026C15/
I don't know why the listing isn't available on amazon.com 
I can't speak to this particular recording, but some legit releases -- even from major labels -- are not licensed for sale in the United States. I have a 2009 "Naxos Musicals" CD release of the original 1957 cast album of THE MUSIC MAN paired with a 1958 "selections" album, which I sought out for its inclusion of some of the ballet music by Laurence Rosenthal, that is part of a series of releases (including GUYS & DOLLS, PAINT YOUR WAGON, THE PAJAMA GAME, STREET SCENE, SONG OF NORWAY and WEST SIDE STORY) that are designated "not for retail sale in the USA." Perhaps these do sometimes pop up on Amazon.com from unsupervised third-party sellers, but at the time I picked up this particular release of MUSIC MAN, I believe I had to go through eBay.
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