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

[Michael Elliott]

Oops, my bad but I meant DON'T LOOK BACK, the Dylan doc.

On your second point, there are hundreds of movies made outside of Hollywood that had the director's calling the shots 100%. MANIAC, REEFER MADNESS, SEX MADNESS, CHILD BRIDE and on down the line. But the point was that there might have been many directors who wanted their films to be 4:3 but were forced to shoot them 1.85 just so the studio could sell something.

 

[Jack Theakston]

DON'T LOOK BACK was shot in 16mm as basically an art film that played art theaters, so yeah, the aspect ratio on that film is 1.33. However, I've never run a 35mm print. It's possible the film was pillarboxed in a 1.85-1 area, but I doubt it. Same situation with GIMME SHELTER. So 1.33 would be the correct ARs for both.

Widescreen is simply a standard. No one HAS to adhere to it. But you're right-- if they don't, most people are not going to book their film. There are instances of film-makers using the Academy aspect ratio, but generally, even amateur film makers get the hint when they look through a camera's viewfinder.

And let me put it into rather unromanticized terms... if a studio is paying you thousands of dollars to do something, you're going to do it their way (within the confines of what a director needs to be doing), otherwise you'll find yourself quickly replaced and a notice in the trades the next day that you've left due to "creative differences."

 

[BillyFeldman]

Coppola wanted One From The Heart in Academy - and I think it was shown exactly once that way - at the Chinese, if I remember correctly, and I don't remember if they had to do some jerryrigging to do it. But everywhere else it was widescreen all the way, and I think we know he covered himself for that. But again, that was for his own studio Zoetrope, and he had the control - until he had to have a studio release it - then the studio had control and, of course, could not book the film in any other way other than widescreen. But I can't think of any others of a similar ilk.

 

[Mark B]

Scorcese wanted to shoot NEW YORK NEW YORK in academy, but had to compromise.

I've been working my way through my collection and found another one today which is not OAR......GHOST OF DRAGSTRIP HOLLOW (1959).

 

[BillyFeldman]

And Attack Of The Puppet People.

 

[James 'Tiger' Lee]

Village of the Giants is according to one review not only MAR but also stretched

I think it'd be good also if people can test discs to see if they stand up to a zoom. This can differentiate genuine open matte dvds from zoom jobs

 

[James 'Tiger' Lee]

The three Blood Island films and Brain of Blood

First two Quatermass films
X The Unknown
Moby Dick
Reptilicus

 

[Christoph_G]

I wish they would release the 3 Gidget films in widescreen. The current release is all fullscreen, the original Sandra Dee film is a particularly bad pan/scan.

 

[Jobla]

Ditto on GIDGET (should be 2:35-1)

Other films I'd like to see properly letterboxed:

THE SWORD OF LANCELOT (1963, Universal, may be in PD Hell by now)
HOMICIDAL (1961,Sony, previous DVD was full frame)
GIDGET GOES HAWAIIAN (1962, Sony, should be 1:85-1?)
BLOOD AND ROSES (1961, Paramount, needs to be preserved)
THE SLAVE (1963, MGM)
THE MINOTAUR (UA, 1961, there's a gorgeous PAL DVD, but no English)
THE ALAMO (UA, 1960, full-length restoration)
GETTYSBURG (I want the longer director's cut on DVD)
SHOCK TREATMENT (Fox, 1963)
RED SKY AT MORNING (Universal, 1970, never been on home video)
WAR OF THE ZOMBIES (AIP, 1965)
THE DEAD ONE (1961, proper 2:35-1)
THIEF OF BAGHDAD (MGM, 1961, 2:35-1)
I could go on (singing), but you get the idea--there are many films from the early 1960s that are still only available in full frame, and I would like to see these films restored.

 

[BillyFeldman]

Homicidal has a German DVD that's correct ratio.

 

[Rob P S]

A Midnight Clear
Remo Williams
Iron Eagle
King of the Hill (still unreleased!)

 

[Jobla]

Does the German DVD of HOMICIDAL have an English language soundtrack? The film has been shown letterboxed on TCM, so perhaps Sony will release it someday, possibily in a William Castle ICONS OF HORROR set.

 

[Jobla]

Does the German DVD of HOMICIDAL have an English language soundtrack? The film has been shown letterboxed on TCM, so perhaps Sony will release it someday, possibly in a William Castle ICONS OF HORROR set.

 

[Jim Peavy]

Anamorphic The Apostle, please...!

 

[BillyFeldman]

Sorry, just saw this post - yes, the German DVD has an English language track.

 

[James 'Tiger' Lee]

Can I suggest that this topic be used to post screencaps from "open matte" transfers so we can determine whether they are open matte or a zoom job like that godawful Deadly Mantis dvd

I for one would like to see screencaps from


Abbott And Costello Meet The Mummy (universal)
Revenge Of The Creature (Universal)
Creature Walks Among Us (universal)
The Mole People (Universal)
Monolith Monsters (Universal)
Bad Seed (Warners)
Black Scorpion (Warners)
I Bury The Living (MGM)
It! The Terror From Beyond Space (MGM)
The Bat (Anchor Bay)

Can anyone help?

 

[Jack Theakston]

All of the Universals on the above list are true open matte jobs as I recall.

 

[AndrewWickliffe]

Does anyone know if the Warner release of Rafelson's The Postman Always Rings Twice is open matte or pan and scan?

 

[Matt Hough]

While watching HOBSON'S CHOICE the other day for review purposes, I noticed that there is a fairly sizable amount of head room in the frame. Could this have been filmed so it could be matted to 1.66:1?

The trailer on the Criterion disc is widescreen and doesn't seem to suffer at all from the matting.

 

[Jack Theakston]

Odd that the trailer is widescreen but the film isn't. My notes say 1.66.