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DARK SHADOWS 1991..to be cropped? (1 Viewer)

Steve Phillips

Screenwriter
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Jan 18, 2002
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If it was simply extra info on the sides, it wouldn't bother me, but people who were involved in the production tell me it was shot in 4X3 and intended for 4X3, and they're not happy about a 16X9 DVD.

I hope it turns out that there is no tilt and scanning and/or cropping on the top and bottom at all....but of course we still have the issue of the DVD being shorter than the VHS versions....signifcantly so in the case of the pilot.

If the series does turn out to be cropped...well, maybe it won't be as bad as KUNG FU was.
 

Mark_Wilson

Screenwriter
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Jul 27, 2000
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I had my fingers crossed it'd only be anamorphic 1.66:1, which I could live with, but the box clearly says 1.78:1.
 

David_Blackwell

Screenwriter
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Jan 30, 2004
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Full Frame please and the extended episodes please. I am a big fan of DS 1991 and I don't wnat cropped episodes. if the episodes are cropped, I suggest the release should be postponed and done right.
 

VictoriaWinters

Auditioning
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Sep 6, 2002
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The incorrect aspect ratio crosses the line for fans of any version of Dark Shadows as well as those who like to see old TV shows released on DVD. This is an insult to the DVD watching public. It was originally filmed in 4:3. We didn't have widescreen TVs (at least not in wide use) then and letterbox TV was unheard of.

Many fans will notice this release has its picture clipped (Collinwood tower where are you?), does not have any extras (interviews, bloopers, commentary or other), and is not the extended version that MPI released on videotape.

MPI released an extended or additional scenes cut/never aired from of Episodes 1, 3, and 12. This release is the broadcast version ONLY.

The Mentally Gauche Morans at MGM have really done a number on this one. Do they think after spending $1000s of dollars on a home theatre system we'd like a chopped up product and something inferior to the video release?

For those of you unfamiliar with the video release, the total minutes of run time are approximately 63 minutes more then the DVD run time. This is with some extra 411 about the Fest-Fan Club, book about the show by Jim Pierson, DS Resurrected Video (bloopers, etc.) and lead tape with some introductory graphics.

Shadowgram (the official newsletter for Dark Shadows) confirms this:


It's a shame because the 1991 DS Revival has many fine performances by Joanna Going, Ben Cross, Michael T. Weiss, Adrian Paul, Jean Simmons, Barbara Steele, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, many of whom went onto bigger and better things later in their career.

I do also hope this quells the hope for extras on this hunk of junk.
 

Mark_Wilson

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Does Sony owns worldwide dvd rights for DS? Perhaps a better version will show up in another region.
 

VictoriaWinters

Auditioning
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Sep 6, 2002
Messages
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Dan Curtis Productions, Inc. and MGM were producers of Dark Shadows 1991. I know that Sony bought out MGM but I'm not sure the arrangement with who owns what now. The DVD does say it's an MGM release. Perhaps, they kept MGM as a sub-division of Sony. So, the answer in typical Victoria Winters fashion is:

I don't know.
 

Darren Gross

Supporting Actor
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May 16, 2001
Messages
518
Sony/MGM owns the 91 series video rights entirely.

Dan Curtis Productions owns the video rights to the classic series 1966-71 which it licenses to DVD through MPI. The TV broadcast rights for the classic series are owned by Worldvision and Viacom.

MPI had licensed the 91 series from MGM for the vhs releases back in the 90's but the license is expired.

Let's cross our fingers for another region release done correctly.
 

VictoriaWinters

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Sep 6, 2002
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This explains why MPI had told me that the videos are going to go out of print.

I do hope another region will get the correct aspect ratio. I would be quite happy for them.
 

VictoriaWinters

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Here is Shadowgram, official newsletter of Dark Shadows, with more not so good news about this DVD turkey:

The board is not letting me post a link to MPI Home Video because of rules concerning links. So, here it is in morse board code:

hypertransferprotocol://worldwidewebdotmpihomevideodotcom or the old fashioned telephone number 800-323-0442.

This little quote gem from Shadowgram does make that aspect ratio real official now.

I want all of DS, the entire damn picture, warts, bloopers, and all. I will accept nothing less. MGM/Sony should be ashamed.
 

Brian Himes

Screenwriter
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Dec 8, 2004
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Brian
I have a bad feeling about this release. I'm now undecided about getting it. I think I'll just copy my MPI VHS tapes over to DVD. That way I know I'll get exactly what I want. This is a total bummer on this set. I was really looking forward to having this on DVD.
 

Ethan Riley

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Ethan Riley
Bump, because the dvd is coming out next week. I clearly need somebody else to buy it and review it before I even go near the thing (even though it's cheap). I just don't want to see Barnabas' eyes and mouth cut off. How would you know he's a vampire if his fangs are cut off the bottom of the screen? Shoot...I hate the practice of cropping more than you know...a lot of people worked very very hard on that show, and MGM only wants you to see about 2/3 of it.
 

David Williams

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I should be getting this on Tues or Wed next week from Amazon. I'll let everyone know how it turns out.

*fingers crossed*

Anything's better than 15 year-old video tape, right? :crazy:
 

Kris_AB

Stunt Coordinator
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Feb 10, 2004
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Kris
Aw man, forget it. American Gothic comes out the week after anyway and I should be on more of a budget for my DVD spending, so just forget it. AG's the far better series anyway.

The tapes are tempting, but...they're tapes. Maybe some day better DVDs of the Dark Shadows revival will be put out, but I'm not gonna hold my breath for them.
 

AndyMcKinney

Senior HTF Member
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Apr 2, 2004
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Kentucky, USA

Not in my opinion!

To me, it's not about the highest resolution image, it's about the full image!

I would've loved to have replaced my 1991 off-air LP mode recordings with this new set, but I cannot bring myself to buy a cropped show, especially when there are so many quality releases competing for my cash.

Really too bad MPI doesn't still have release rights. Maybe we can hope for poor sales on this release and in a few years, pehaps MGM will re-licence the show to MPI, who would surely do a much better job and would probably understand just why many DS fans don't want to go near this travesty of a release.
 

Ethan Riley

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Oct 12, 2005
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Ethan Riley
Yeah, but if it doens't sell, they'll blame it on the popularity of the title; not on the quality of their release. They'll think people hate DS: the revival; they'll never notice we're turning our noses up at shoddy remastering.
 

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