You think I’m going to shell out for a 70th anniversary Bluray of Casablanca that has been described by Robert Harris as having “a more normal patina of grain“? Me to Amoeba sales guy: “Hi, there. I understand you have a 70th anniversary Bluray grainstorm version of Casablanca?” Ameoba sales guy to me: “Uhh, that’s right, sir…it’s definitely been grained up! And made to look a bit darker!””

Here’s how Harris describes it: “I was generally fond of the 2008 edition, as the film looked quite good on Blu-ray. Not as good as it might, but as good as it could under the conditions that WB was releasing Blu-rays in 2008. Meaning that grain was nicely smoothed. The image had a pleasant homogenized look, which was fit for anything Ultimate. For the 70th Anniversary, the image looks improved, but to my eye only by the fact that a more normal patina of grain is present. Do I like it better? Certainly.”

Am I going to run, not walk, in the opposite direction? You betcha.

RIck Blaine: “I came to the latest Casablanca Bluray for the grain.” Captain Renault: “Grain? What grain? Casablanca was shot on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank under perfectly lighted conditions. The last Bluray had a gentle grain structure, but it was all but grain-free, really…and it was beautiful.” Rick Blaine: “Well, I was misinformed.”