MovieChat Forums > The Red House (1947) Discussion > Advantages to a bad print.

Advantages to a bad print.

posted 16 years ago by CahillSellers
8 replies | jump to latest

I got the Mystery 100-pack from Best Buy (Amazon's got them too) and one thing I thought was interesting was the bad sound quality made the film even more mysterious. It was understandably irritating when you couldn't even understand Robinson's key dialogue at some of the major plot points and reveals. But by not understanding some of these things or simply skipping the scenes that I couldn't really hear, it left the mystery of the Red House wide open. I am glad that I got the info on the imdb and everything, but by watching it in this degraded print way, what exactly happened as far as Robinson, "Jeannie" and the husband remains shrouded in mystery. It even adds to the near-supernatural theme to the film as well. Is the Red House and the surrounding forest like the Overlook Hotel in The Shining, driving Pete Morgan mad? Are any of the stories told about what happened actually true? Without the story Morgan tells his adopted daughter, it's all left up in the air. I love the film either way, but I thought it was fascinating how by removing certain parts, it creates an entirely new aspect to the picture that wasn't there before, or even intended to exist. And without the clear explanation of what's haunting Morgan, his demise is ten times as disturbing as it is in the real version.
Either way, great movie! Too bad this hasn't gotten a bigger audience or a proper, cleaned-up, enhanced version (especially considering the cinematography, those shots of Nath entering the woods for the first time are brilliant!). Hopefully some sort of clean print will be dug up in a vault somewhere and get the release it deserves.

"But, hey, that's me, I could be wrong."

[–] we2 16 years ago

I got this VHS from my public library and am watching it at this time. Print is very poor. But it is an interesting movie. EGR is truly great.

my favorites are Harlow and Garbo. I guess I'm just an old fashion guy

[–] dfc99 16 years ago

I have the Acme DVD Works (UPC# 089859501128) release of The Red House, it's on a double-feature with Scarlet Street. I think I paid $5 or $6 for it on Amazon a few years ago.

The picture and sound are just a bit better than the other versions out there, but it is watchable, and the sound is o.k. too. It plays to the end without any problems unlike some of the other PD releases.

As others here have said this strange old movie needs a proper restoration and release. But who knows if an clean negative or internegative even exists anymore. In a way the lousy quality of the print adds to it's creepiness.

01-19-2013: Still available on Amazon but now it's $9.68:

http://www.amazon.com/Scarlet-Street-The-Red-House/dp/B000EJ9V98/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358613237&sr=8-1&keywords=089859501128

[–] taylorje 13 years ago

Pete is haunted because he murdered Meg's parents years earlier. They lived in the Red House with Meg, who was about two years old. Pete was having an affair with Jeannie, Meg's mother. They heard Meg's father driving his surrey up to the house, and Pete accidentally smothered Jeannie to keep her quiet. He then killed Meg's father and drove the surrey with their bodies into the nearby icehouse, where a spring had broken through. Pete and Ellen made up the story about Meg's parents being killed "down south" and eventually adopted her.

The Red House was abandoned with all its furniture, left just as it was the day of the murders. Even Meg's crib was left behind. Pete spread the rumors about the Oxhead Woods being haunted to keep people from discovering the house and possibly the bodies. Whatever "screams" he heard were probably caused by his guilty conscience, which eventually drove him insane. Ellen turned down a chance to marry when she was younger because she didn't want to leave Meg with Pete, and knew he would never have allowed her to take Meg with her.

[–] ms-zanadu 13 years ago

Thanks also taylorje for the general write up of this movies storyline . I haven't watched this one in a while now it makes me want to watch it again real soon lol .

[–] lordinfernus_2001 12 years ago

Thanks for the spoiler alert!! I just ruined the whole film for myself, and i am only an hour in!!
Meat's meat, and man's gotta eat!!

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ms-zanadu 13 years ago

I have this movie on VHS ( COPYRIGHT 1985 ) and surprisingly the sound quality on it is really good . Of course the picture quality is a bit on the grainy side ( but that's to be expected of an official older copy ? ) . Also there's no closed captioning on it either ( but no problem with that and can't complain either it was a gift from a friend long ago so it was free lol ) . Still it's a very intriguing movie with a classic solid storyline and wonderful actors too . Thanks CahillSellers for your subject post .

[–] Zuider_Zee 11 years ago

I think I saw a restore edition. The audio and video were both of excellent quality.