Questions About Recent Christmas DVDs: "Christmas Carol" & "Miracle On 34th Street"

[Batears52]

1) Did anyone purchase the brand new 2-disc, 2007 version of the Alastair Sim's "A Christmas Carol" from VCI? (I think you'd be hard pressed to find it in any of the regular b & m retailers. I haven't seen it anywhere, so I'm thinking of ordering it on line.) My question: I have the VCI version from 1998. Do we know if this new version is a newer transfer? Is it better than the one I have?

2) Same question regarding Edmund Gwenn's "Miracle On 34th Street". I have the DVD from 1999 (B & W). Does anyone have the 2-disc version that came out last year? Is it better than the one I have?

I know that there are colorized versions of the movies on these discs. I could care less about them - I'm really talking about the black & white originals here.

So basically, I just want to know if: a) they are worth upgrading....and b) if so, is there any reason to retain the ones I have.

Thanks!
Dexter

[Larry Naramore]

I have no info on quality but I did see a two disc set of "Miracle On 34th Street" at Costco

[Oatsdad]

Never saw the old "Miracle" DVD, but I reviewed the newer one last year. Great movie, so-so DVD. Pretty mediocre transfer IMO:

http://www.dvdmg.com/miracleon34thstreet.shtml

[Batears52]

Thanks Colin!

Maybe I'll wait on "Miracle On 34th Street" until it shows up real cheap somewhere. I still have my other DVD.

Anyone get the new 2007 version of "A Christmas Carol" with Alastair Sim who can comment?

Thanks!
Dexter

[Wmacky]

It's a new transfer, and most feel it's the best to date. A very few scenes use low res elements as I guess thats all that they had. BTW The begining library scene has been restored to full lenth

[Mister Kite]

I never picked up the colorized 2-disc set that Colin reviewed, but after reading his well-written review, I will take a pass until something better comes along. I still have the original Fox release and it has served me well, considering I only watch it every couple of years.

A reviewer at DVD Talk reviews the same version Colin did (he is a bit more enthusiastic about it) but, he also includes three very interesting (IMO) screen captures (as shown below.)

From left to right (or top to bottom depending how this displays) -
Left: Colorized
Center: New B&W Transfer
Right: Original Fox Release

You can read his take on the whole thing HERE (http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=25072&___rd=1), but for my money, I remain happy with the original. Much like the older CDs we generally favor around here, "newly remastered" does not necessarily mean better... :wave:

[Batears52]

Wow! To me, the original Fox release looks a lot better than the newer transfer. I'll hold off on "Miracle"...but will definitely order the new version of "A Christmas Carol".

Thanks!
Dexter