Films that need DVD Releases with their Original Aspect Ratio, anamorphic if need be! (1 Viewer)

[Jack Theakston]

I've never run a print of HEAD before, but doesn't it have hard mattes in it?

 

[Mark Edward Heuck]

For years, Friedkin had resisted letterboxing because he worried most people's televisions were already too small and they would dislike watching an ostensibly "smaller" image (even though it would be the proper aspect ratio). It is a reason why he almost never shot in 2.35 scope. Friedkin has since changed his mind and approved 16x9 masters of his films, and supposedly the remaining films of his that initially got 1.33 releases (SORCERER, BLUE CHIPS, JADE) will be revisited in the future.

 

[Patrick McCart]

1. Warner didn't quite mislead on the Kubrick titles. The circa-1991 transfers of his Warner Bros. films were approved by him. He simply OK'ed going unmatted on all of the films. This resulted in the hard-mattes being visible on A Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon, with The Shining and Full Metal Jacket being full open matte. Eyes Wide Shut was made open matte based on the presidence. We'll never know exactly what Kubrick would have suggested for new 1080p transfers meant for 16x9 televisions. However, he did always intend theatrical presentations to be matted. Some filmmakers changed their mind between formats. Richard Lester was fine with open matte on A Hard Day's Night and Help! on the old Criterion, MPI, and AMC transfers. The 1.66:1 16x9 enhanced transfers on the current DVDs were approved yet again.

2. In the case of the Police Academy sequels, it's likely WB had only remastered those two films in 4x3 and didn't want to spend more money re-doing them. I assume the rest of the films had 16x9 masters created already. The great majority of their early 4x3 open matte releases are films simply not high priorities. I think any follies of 1997-1999 DVDs from any studio can be generally forgiven. There's isolated cases of excellent work from the period like American Graffiti, Amadeus, and The Third Man.

 

[Tarkin The Ewok]

Disney has a lot, but The Country Bears is near the top of my list that I would get if it was available in widescreen.

 

[WadeM]

There are some effects shots that do. That makes the case for me.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I almost forgot one of my favorite Lancaster films "The Train" which hasn't been releases in its OAR in Region 1.

 

[Robert Crawford]

There is still the question of "The Naked Jungle" which starred Charlton Heston and Eleanor Parker. Filming began in late-June of 1953 with only one source mentioning it being filmed in a widescreen format.

I have to check my DVD of "Inherit the Wind" because I don't remembered that having a anamorphic presentation?





Crawdaddy

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Paramount went 100% wide-screen in late March, so NAKED JUNGLE would certainly be composed for 1:66 presentation.

 

[BillyFeldman]

I thought The Train and Inherit The Wind were letterboxed (but non-anamorphic) transfers. So, they are in their OARs but not enhanced for widescreen - is that what you meant, Robert?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yes, that's what I mean which bothers me just as much as non-OAR because I want the widescreen presentation to fill the screen as intended without losing any resolution in the process.

To me, letterbox transfers and non-OAR are not giving us, the consumers the best that home video can offer us as we watch our favorite films at home.







Crawdaddy

 

[Matt Hough]

MGM went through a period where none of their 1.66:1 transfers were anamorphic. WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION, one of my all-time favorite films, isn't anamorphic and neither is THE MIRACLE WORKER which ranks as my favorite film of all time.

As much as I love these movies, I rarely watch them because I can't stand the presentation. They've gone back and corrected THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE and TWELVE ANGRY MEN. I'd love to see some of these other classics afforded equal treatment.

 

[BillyFeldman]

Totally agree.

 

[Mark Pytel]

There are a bunch of movies that fit into this category that I would love to get re-released, but due to the low priority, sales of some of these films, I have fear that they won't be re-released. I'm not entirely sure which I'm talking about are pan and scan vs open matte, but I know all of them were originally 1:85 in theaters and are not 4:3 fullscreen on dvd.

WB

With Honors
Made in America
In Country
Guilty by Suspicion
Boiling Point
Grumpy Old Men
Grumpier Old Men
My Fellow Americans
Action Jackson
The Witches
Doc Hollywood
It Takes Two
Clean and Sober

and a bunch by
Disney

Man of the House
Blank Check
Heavyweights
First Kid
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey

 

[Richard--W]

Columbia:
Bite the Bullet
Hard Times
-- originally released wide, now only full

Disney:
Johnny Tremain
Darby O'Gill and the Little People
-- region 2 editions are widescreen

MGM:
Odds Against Tomorrow

Universal:
Charley Varrick
Colossus: the Forbin Project

 

[Jack Theakston]

Here are more titles (with the intended aspect ratios in parentheses)

Sony
The Stranger Wore a Gun (1.85-1)

Universal
Thunder Bay (1.37-1)

Warner HV
Kiss Me Kate (1.75-1)

Perhaps this thread should be merged with the already stickied thread?

 

[John Hodson]

The UK editions of both of these are anamorphic OAR too.

 

[Mark B]

The Bridges At Toko-Ri
Paramount
released December 1954

The Gnome Mobile
Disney
released December 19, 1967

Red Garters
Paramount
released March 26, 1954

Babes In Toyland
Disney
released December 14, 1961

The Benny Goodman Story
Universal
released February 2, 1956

A Bucket of Blood
AIP
released October 21, 1959

 

[WadeM]

Sonny Chiba's Street Fighter movies need anamorphic presentation in R1

 

[James 'Tiger' Lee]

Aren't we thinking more of films not released in their correct ratio here?

 

[BillyFeldman]

I think that was the purpose. How soon do we lose this awful black stuff on the site? I understand someone's paying to have it be The Dark Knight, but I really don't like it.