Gritty (& quite poorly acted really) trying to have a social conscience
Gritty (& quite poorly acted really) trying to have a social conscience
The Battle Of The Bulge (1965)
This is a long film. I put it on when I got in from work and when it finally, mercifully ended it was almost time for bed.
I recall watching it as a nipper and thinking it was pretty poor but thought as it's 40 years on I'd give it another go. I mean it's a war film about one of the more interesting episodes of WWII and it's got an all star cast including Henry Fonda and the incomparable Robert Shaw. Quite a big budget too, six million dollars. That was a lot of dough ray me back in 1965.
But everything about this film is poor. The crappy back projection which is used way too much. The crappy modelwork that looks like a teenager did it in his bedroom. The fact that it is shot on location, but in a location that looks nothing like the Ardennes Forest where it is supposed to be set.
The battle scenes are hopeless, comical even. The script is shocking in places (although Robert Shaw has a couple of good bits). The tanks are all wrong, the story bears no resemblance to history, all the characters are fictional for no real reason, and when you think it couldn't get worse there's a pointless romantic subplot just tacked on in there.
Worst war film ever.
Current Lash Up:
TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.
I just dropped in, to see what condition my condition was in
T/T: Inspire Monarch, X200 tonearm, Ortofon Quintet Blue. Phono: Project Tube Box CD: Marantz CD6006 (UK Edition); Amp: Musical Fidelity A5 Integrated.
Speakers: Zu Omen Def, REL T9i subwoofer. Cables: Atlas Equator interconnects, Atlas Hyper 3.0 speaker cables
T'other system:
Echo Dot, Amptastic Mini One,Arcam A75 integrated, Celestion 5's, BK XLS-200 DF
A/V:
LG 55" OLED, Panasonic Blu Ray, Sony a/v amp, MA Radius speakers, REL Storm sub
Forget the past, it's gone. And don't worry about the future, it doesn't exist. There is only NOW.
KICKSTARTER: ENABLING SCAMMERS SINCE 2009
Just watched '8mm' with Nicholas Cage again. It's a bleak, dark and twisted tale, but the acting is superb. Powerful stuff!
It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!
Winging it's way from Amazon, and settling down to watch tonight "Alita: Battle Angel", 4K bluray.
Latest from James Cameron, he's producing whilst Robert Rodriguez directs.
Based on Manga of the same name, seen it in the cinema and it blew my expectations out the water.
Looking forward to a 2nd viewing tonight.
AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
MUSIC PLAYBACK
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables
Holy Hell that was a wee bit ’smashin!
Fantastic!
(And thoroughly recommended, in whatever format...it’s genuinely a great movie)
AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
MUSIC PLAYBACK
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables
Just finished watching 'The Chronicles of Riddick' for the umpteenth time. Great futuristic sci-fi action on an truly epic scale. The ending is spectacular!
It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!