Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about…™ Secret of the Incas – in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[cineMANIAC]

I have the Imprint but I also picked up the domestic release, which I chaptered over to sample the PQ. I had not sampled the Imprint. Long shots have a soft focus but closeups and non-transition parts look fantastic. Very colorful and sharp. I love the slipcase the Imprint edition comes in so I'm torn over what to do with it but the disc is pretty much a coaster now.

This was a blind buy and I have not yet watched the film in it's entirety but it was blatantly obvious the Indiana Jones character owes its existence to Secret of the Incas - right down to the outfit both Heston and Ford wear. Both films came from Paramount so I presume Spielberg had no problem whatsoever obtaining the "remake" rights

 

[Chuck Pennington]

This is a tough one. The 2023 Kino is definitely sharper, the sound is quite a bit crisper in tone, and it is free of the blue splotches that mar many scenes compared to the 2022 Imprint Blu-ray. But as far as eye-popping color goes, well… It would seem that perhaps a few more adjustments could’ve been made for the new 4K-sourced master. It’s possible some scenes should appear rather dark and bluish in keeping with the nighttime setting of some scenes, but I do wonder if perhaps a few adjustments should’ve been made throughout this new master so that the color had some of the richness (but not the oversaturation) of the prior release.

The colored halos and fringing are definitely gone. I only noticed the very different color scheme in some scenes when making this A/B comparison video, which includes a few shots at twice the size to show up the sharpness difference.

 

[Wayne Klein]

Colors are bolder on the Imprint but there is some misalignment that makes the image soft at times. This is an upgrade overall. Detail is nicely improved On the Kino.

 

[Flashgear]

This is a tough one. The 2023 Kino is definitely sharper, the sound is quite a bit crisper in tone, and it is free of the blue splotches that mar many scenes compared to the 2022 Imprint Blu-ray. But as far as eye-popping color goes, well… It would seem that perhaps a few more adjustments could’ve been made for the new 4K-sourced master.

Thank you Chuck for all the hard work of preparing these comparative video clips and screen caps! Very much appreciated! Like yourself, now having both Blus, it's relatively easy to see the virtues in both of them. You do wish (and should expect) that an increase in definition shouldn't come at the expense of vibrant colors. A little maddening.

 

[Chuck Pennington]

With a bit of additional enhancement (contrast and color-wise), the Kino release is quite marvelous. It’s a shame that Yma Sumac’s performances weren’t sonically upgraded as they have always been of rather low fidelity in the final film soundtrack compared to the album from which they were sourced.

Here is my enhanced version of these scenes using the remastered album master:

 

[Wayne Klein]

With a bit of additional enhancement (contrast and color-wise), the Kino release is quite marvelous. It’s a shame that Yma Sumac’s performances weren’t sonically upgraded as they have always been of rather low fidelity in the final film soundtrack compared to the album from which they were sourced.

Here is my enhanced version of these scenes using the remastered album master:

Perhaps rights issues For the soundtrack?

 

[Chuck Pennington]

Perhaps rights issues For the soundtrack?

No. Just no effort expended. They already had the rights because the recordings were used in the film, albeit lower quality dubs.

 

[Capt D McMars]

Knowing that it got the WAC treatment I haven't even opened the Imprint edition that I recieved...looking forward to this one!!

just popped on it via the Amazon link + Marco Polo BDs!!

 

[Kent K H]

With a bit of additional enhancement (contrast and color-wise), the Kino release is quite marvelous. It’s a shame that Yma Sumac’s performances weren’t sonically upgraded as they have always been of rather low fidelity in the final film soundtrack compared to the album from which they were sourced.

Here is my enhanced version of these scenes using the remastered album master:

You mean I have to listen to my record? Rip-off!

 

[Chuck Pennington]

You mean I have to listen to my record? Rip-off!

I don’t think you grasp just how bad the film soundtrack is during those sections. It sounds like it is several generations down in quality.

 

[Capt D McMars]

I don’t think you grasp just how bad the film soundtrack is during those sections. It sounds like it is several generations down in quality.

another missed moment...

 

[Wayne Klein]

No. Just no effort expended. They already had the rights because the recordings were used in the film, albeit lower quality dubs.

I was referring more to who owns the master tapes that (if they exist) would be used. May be different rights issues, etc. I have no idea if they even investigated doing that or not or who currently owns the rights. Hard to say it would have been nice to upgrade it though.

 

[Chuck Pennington]

I was referring more to who owns the master tapes that (if they exist) would be used. May be different rights issues, etc. I have no idea if they even investigated doing that or not or who currently owns the rights. Hard to say it would have been nice to upgrade it though.

Paramount owns the film, Capitol Records owns the Yma recordings. They receive credit in the film. With how awful those scenes sound in the film (they stick out like a sore thumb fidelity-wise), it’s unfortunate they weren’t upgraded. If I was able to do it, well…

 

[Wayne Klein]

How about over 80 years old. There is little doubt that Spielberg and Lucas watched this movie in their youth. An inspiration along with those old serials.

View attachment 174643

This is one of those who wore it better difficult moments.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Paramount owns the film, Capitol Records owns the Yma recordings. They receive credit in the film. With how awful those scenes sound in the film (they stick out like a sore thumb fidelity-wise), it’s unfortunate they weren’t upgraded. If I was able to do it, well…

I'm sure the profit margin for this minor Blu-ray release isn't much so I'm guessing that cost was the prohibitive factor here.

 

[Chuck Pennington]

I'm sure the profit margin for this minor Blu-ray release isn't much so I'm guessing that cost was the prohibitive factor here.

Just no effort, that’s all. It should’ve been done by Paramount’s team - and still should for future DCP screenings. It took me an hour to do myself.

 

[uncledougie]

Whatever the shortcomings of the latest release, I’m sure no better version of Secret of the Incas will be forthcoming, and the recent price break made it irresistible. I recall Nicole Maurey’s fine performances in Me and the Colonel (1958) with Danny Kaye and High Time (1960) with Bing Crosby. (I have the latter on Twilight Time Blu-ray.) I haven’t seen this film since childhood (in B&W on a 15” TV), and know it will be a vast improvement, and commercial free!

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Paramount owns the film, Capitol Records owns the Yma recordings. They receive credit in the film. With how awful those scenes sound in the film (they stick out like a sore thumb fidelity-wise), it’s unfortunate they weren’t upgraded. If I was able to do it, well…

I'm sure the profit margin for this minor Blu-ray release isn't much so I'm guessing that cost was the prohibitive factor here.

Exactly. Capitol masters would be controlled by UMG now. If Paramount isn’t prepared to go to UMG for rights to Motown tracks on Looking for Mr Goodbar, they’d be less inclined on an older less (or lesser) remembered film.

 

[Chuck Pennington]

Exactly. Capitol masters would be controlled by UMG now. If Paramount isn’t prepared to go to UMG for rights to Motown tracks on Looking for Mr Goodbar, they’d be less inclined on an older less (or lesser) remembered film.

They released the film with the Capitol tracks in the film, just in terrible sonic quality - that’s it. No rights to renegotiate as they obviously have settled any possible issues for this Blu release. Why would they need to contact Universal when superior sources are available commercially of Yma Sumac’s first album that they could use if they wanted to expend the effort to remaster/sonically improve the mono soundtrack? They already have whatever rights are necessary or we wouldn’t have a Blu-ray release in the USA through Kino.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

They released the film with the Capitol tracks in the film, just in terrible sonic quality - that’s it. No rights to renegotiate as they obviously have settled any possible issues for this Blu release. Why would they need to contact Universal when superior sources are available commercially of Yma Sumac’s first album that they could use if they wanted to expend the effort to remaster/sonically improve the mono soundtrack? They already have whatever rights are necessary or we wouldn’t have a Blu-ray release in the USA through Kino.

They have the rights, but the fact that “commercially available” recordings exist does not mean that Paramount has access to them. To simply use a commercially available recording for remastering may be available to end users under the Fair Use doctrine, but a studio would want access to original masters for best possible quality, much like you want to work from at least an IP for the video master. They’d have to pay for that access.