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Wait Until Dark / Bells are Ringing coming from WAC (1 Viewer)

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Noach Kowalski
in January

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LTI05H4/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1481232131&sr=1-2&keywords=warner+archive+collection+blu-ray&refinements=p_n_format_browse-bin:2650305011

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jauritt

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I saw Wait Until Dark in the theater as a teenager. Most people have forgotten, but there was a gimmick associated with the theatrical showing of the movie. The newspaper advertisements all proclaimed that the theaters showing it would be darkened to the "legal limit" during the climax of the movie. And, indeed, at that point, ushers (remember them?) ran around turning off vending machine lights and lights from other sources (theaters, of course, were set up differently back then, before the age of cineplexes), so that it was completely dark inside the theater, creating more tension.
 
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Peter Apruzzese

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I saw Wait Until Dark in the theater as a teenager. Most people have forgotten, but there was a gimmick associated with the theatrical showing of the movie. The newspaper advertisements all proclaimed that the theaters showing it would be darkened to the "legal limit" during the 10-15 minute climax of the movie. And, indeed, at that point, ushers (remember them?) ran around turning off vending machine lights and lights from other sources (theaters, of course, were set up differently back then, before the age of cineplexes), so that it was completely dark inside the theater, creating more tension.

I ran it during my classics series back in 2003 and did the same gimmick. It was in a 1000-seat movie palace so I had to coordinate with the house staff to make sure they hit all their off switches downstairs at the same time I hit my overheads & sconces. We *did* break the legal limit because I also had the exit lights shut off, though I did make sure they had the ushers standing by with flashlights - and we warned the audience not to get up during the last 10 minutes. It was great.
 

Thomas T

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That high pitched screaming you're hearing is coming from me! Unbelievable and awesome news! I saw Wait Until Dark eight times during its original release, often dragging friends with me insisting they see it. It contains Audrey Hepburn's second best performance ever and as for Bells Are Ringing, I consider this the last of the great MGM musicals (usually it's Gigi that's cited).
 

Johnny Angell

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I saw Wait Until Dark in the theater as a teenager. Most people have forgotten, but there was a gimmick associated with the theatrical showing of the movie. The newspaper advertisements all proclaimed that the theaters showing it would be darkened to the "legal limit" during the climax of the movie. And, indeed, at that point, ushers (remember them?) ran around turning off vending machine lights and lights from other sources (theaters, of course, were set up differently back then, before the age of cineplexes), so that it was completely dark inside the theater, creating more tension.
I know I saw Wait Until Dark in a theater, but they did not do the light thing. I didn't need it, the movie scared the crap out of me. Truly scary.
 

Matt Hough

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Even today, that blackout sequence works even at home and even when I know what's about to happen, I still get a shiver down my spine at that ZING moment. When I saw it near CHristmastime in 1967, I jumped straight up out of my seat! (I wasn't alone.)
 

Charles Smith

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I ran it during my classics series back in 2003 and did the same gimmick. It was in a 1000-seat movie palace so I had to coordinate with the house staff to make sure they hit all their off switches downstairs at the same time I hit my overheads & sconces. We *did* break the legal limit because I also had the exit lights shut off, though I did make sure they had the ushers standing by with flashlights - and we warned the audience not to get up during the last 10 minutes. It was great.

I will never forget "my first time" during the first run.

And BTW, if anyone thinks that scene might be less effective on stage, you have a treat in store if you get the chance to see a good production of the play. At the small theater I saw it in, they'd cleared it with the local fire department to include the exit signs at the lights out moment (with precautions, as Peter describes), and that audience -- probably 98% of whom knew what to expect -- nearly hit the ceiling.

(I think the performing script even states that you have to go to total darkness for proper effect.)
 

Mike Boone

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What a grin to have learned tonight (on Brandon Conway's pre-90s Blu-ray thread) that we will all soon be able to enjoy Wait Until Dark on Blu-ray. I haven't seen that chilling example of suspense since attending a showing of the film at the Bethpage Theater, on Long Island, in 1967, when I was in high school.

Many of today's younger movie fans are already pretty familiar with Audrey Hepburn because of the huge success of My Fair Lady, including its airings on TV. Though her terrific dramatic turn in Wait Until Dark presents viewers with a totally different Hepburn persona.

Also, a lot of our newer fellow movie fans may only know Alan Arkin from the roles he played in relatively recent movies like Little Miss Sunshine and Argo. But many of these movie addicts who will soon see Wait Until Dark for the first time, are bound to be somewhat stunned by the sinister psychopath that Mr Arkin so convincingly embodied in Wait Until Dark. Yeah, I just can't wait until January!

And, BTW, the year after Wait Until Dark was released, Alan Arkin had the lead role in another Warner Brothers production, The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter. For his strong and very moving performance, Mr Arkin was nominated for the best actor Oscar for the lead performance given by an actor among films released in 1968. I really believe that of the 5 nominated performances, the way that Alan Arkin inhabited his role, merited that award, though it actually went to Cliff Robertson for his portrayal of the title character in Charly. But Mr Robertson was a very likable guy who was extremely popular in Hollywood, though that's an entirely different subject.

Anyhow, a Blu-ray release of The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter is long overdue, especially, IMO, because it's a movie that Warner Brothers has good reason to take pride in. The late Gene Siskel picked the film as one of the 10 Best of 1968.

Maybe some fellow Home Theater Forum members, and I, could do a little lobbying of Warner Home Video, so that the company would be encouraged to do a Warner Archive Collection Blu-ray for The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, just as it has done for Wait Until Dark. Such a release would give me as big a buzz as the forthcoming release of the Wait Until Dark Blu-ray is now managing to create.
 

Mike Boone

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I keep telling myself I'm going to stop buying discs, but they keep releasing my favorite movies!

Doug, I certainly find myself caught in the same trap. Oh well, there are far more harmful things than Blu-rays that one could be addicted to. Although I could still find myself experiencing some serious harm if my Blu-ray addiction were to preclude me from paying the gas bill, which could possibly compel an angry wife to shoot me. (Although, she'd have to borrow, or buy, a gun, to do that.)
 

haineshisway

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Very happy about Wait Until Dark and just praying that it doesn't resemble the horrid brown thing that is the DVD. As for Bells, I recently got a Spanish Blu-ray of it - I know not from what it was mastered but the quality was better than I imagined it would be and it sounded really good.
 

commander richardson

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I know I saw Wait Until Dark in a theater, but they did not do the light thing. I didn't need it, the movie scared the crap out of me. Truly scary.
The movie WAIT UNTIL DARK is excellent but what people forget to mention is the outstanding music score by HENRY MANCINI..........and without his wonderful music the movie would have had much less impact on an audience...............the score makes the movie what it is and that is a very scary film experience....
 

Thomas T

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The movie WAIT UNTIL DARK is excellent but what people forget to mention is the outstanding music score by HENRY MANCINI..........and without his wonderful music the movie would have had much less impact on an audience...............the score makes the movie what it is and that is a very scary film experience....

Agreed. The soundtrack CD gets a lot of play around my house (and in the car).
 

Charles Smith

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The movie WAIT UNTIL DARK is excellent but what people forget to mention is the outstanding music score by HENRY MANCINI..........and without his wonderful music the movie would have had much less impact on an audience...............the score makes the movie what it is and that is a very scary film experience....

Totally. One of the all time greatest scores to a thriller.
 

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