What's new

DVD Review HTF DVD REVIEW: How the West Was Won: Ultimate Collector's Edition (1 Viewer)

Simon Howson

Screenwriter
Joined
Feb 19, 2004
Messages
1,780
There were only two films shot in CinemaScope 55, The King and I and Carousel. They have both been released correctly formatted on DVD. All other 2.55:1 CinemaScope films were shot on 35mm film without an optical soundtrack, hence the wider than usual aspect ratio.

Smileboxing is only suitable for 3 panel Cinerama films. I don't think it is an appropriate way to show any other widescreen films. They simply weren't intended to be shown on screens with really deep curvature like proper Cinerama screens. Smilebox is simulating the curvature of a proper Cinerama screen (147 degrees). CinemaScope films were never intended to be shown on screens curved that deeply.
 

widescreenforever

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Dec 28, 2004
Messages
221
Real Name
arthurjulius
One of the best ways to describe what you are asking about is the Third disc itself.. ''Cinerama Adventure'' is ,, ( thank goodness ) "anamorphic widescreen" .. So about 60% of this 97 minutes documentary is, by itself, 4.3:1 ( archival footage) and we of course have the 'black pillars' on each side.. when played back on a properly setup 16x9 HD screen..,, BUT!!!.,,,, when the 'Film' displays the smilebox video it 'automatically' fills the 16x9 screen to its 'full dimension ' with widescreen 2.89:1 ..
It may sound a bit confusing, but another to describe this is.. 'If the Third disc was NOT' anamorphic the letterbox image would have been 'placed in the center of the screen with four black borders around each side' and the image would have been 'rectangular' in shape and view... Just as the older HTWWW was previous to this version.. the image was rectangular and the only to view it without the extra four borders was to 'zoom in' and that of course make the image seemed squished , if you kept pressing your remote to find a comfortable viewing angle by the time you had found 'wide zoom'.., it still appeared " stretched'' . Yech!!
 

AdrianTurner

BANNED
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
400
Real Name
Adrian Turner

I asked about this way back at the start of this thread and, putting my purist's hat on, I have to say that one thing I found a little irritating about the new DVD are the pregnant pauses between the episodes, especially the pause between the end of the Overture and the start of the Main Title. In Cinerama presentations it blends seemlessly and without a second's silence, but on the new DVD there is a weird hiatus. It happens at the end of every episode.
 

Douglas R

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2000
Messages
2,947
Location
London, United Kingdom
Real Name
Doug
My only complaint about this DVD (apart of course from the lack of a smilebox version) is that Warner Bros did not include the "Making of" documentary which was on the previous release. This included some fascinating location footage and major contributions from stuntman Loren Janes (who is on the commentary track of the new DVD) speaking to camera and showing footage of what went wrong in some cases. I don't see why Warner didn't include it. It means I can't get rid of my old version!
 

John Hodson

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2003
Messages
4,627
Location
Bolton, Lancashire
Real Name
John
An open message to George Feltenstein:

Dear George

After reading and listening to various interviews in which you stated that folks were going out and buying BD players simply to watch the Blu-ray exclusive Smilebox version of HTWWW, my first dismissive thoughts were along the lines of 'well, I'm not going to fall for that flim-flam'.

Nope, not me.

You went a step further and suggested that anyone without a Blu-ray player couldn't possibly be a true HT enthusiast and, well, I got kinda angry at that one. How dare you, I recall thinking. Damned cheek.

Then my UCE box arrived and I looked at the beautiful SD transfer, and checked out 'Cinerama Adventure' with the all too brief clips of HTWWW in Smilebox. Holy frijoles, I thought; I'm doomed.

And I went right out, bought a BD player and ordered HTWWW. Again.

Waiting for the disc to arrive, I bought a couple more BD discs, 'Cool Hand Luke' which looks very nice indeed, and 'No Country For Old Men' which is pristine as one would expect. But it wasn't until this morning, when my Blu-ray HTWWW arrived, that I was truly sold on the format.

Flat, in SD, HTWWW looks gorgeous. In Smilebox HD, it raises the hairs on the back of my neck, and genuine tears of joy sting my eyes. I almost cannot believe what I am seeing, the detail, the colour and to top it all a recreation - even in a minor way - of this most thrilling of all thrilling cinematic experiences.

So, George, if the aim of this exercise was to sell BD, then this sucker is here to offer his soul in exchange for more of the same. What's the next project...?

Yours, in penury.
 

AdrianTurner

BANNED
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
400
Real Name
Adrian Turner
I've just watched HTWWW again, this time with the commentary, and I thought maybe a few words here might be appropriate. To begin with, the guys give their commentary a real Roadshow feel - you're with them for the long haul and their timings, especially during the Overture and Entr'Acte, is very precise. I learned a lot from them and I'd have to say in the not too distinguished roll call of Commentary honor, this is an excellent effort. HOWEVER, it was ultimately disappointing and a bit superficial for my taste. While we learned all we wanted to know about the stars (which most of us knew already) and maybe we learned too much about the music and the folk songs, we were told NOTHING about the movie, what it signified, what it meant in 1962 and how it compares to other westerns. Th commentators were just in their own little Cinerama bubble. OK, there was a word or two about the film's sympathy for the Indians but this social commentary was the exception: nothing about the film's aesthetic, its Remington-esque visuals, its incredible optimism that places it right at the heart of the Kennedy era, its unusual placing of women - especially the Debbie Reynolds character - as the drivers of the narrative etc etc. That lack of critical perspective is a real failing. What we get are insights into HTWWW as a piece of material, a technical freak if you will; what we lack is any kind of insight into HTWWW as a work of art.
 

GerardoHP

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jan 10, 2001
Messages
798
Location
Los Angeles, California
Real Name
Gerardo Paron
Good for you, John. Congratulations on your purchase. This was for me truly the first release to completely and utterly justify my investment. God, now I'm hungry for more.
 

Alan Tully

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2008
Messages
4,627
Location
London
Real Name
Alan
I can't afford, at this time, to upgrade to Blu-ray, as it would mean buying a new TV. I have a 32" CRT which I'm very happy with, & have no plans to buy a plasma for the next few years (I remain very unimpressed with LCD). As I'd like the smilebox version, I won't be buying this title. Warner can get stuffed, I won't be railroaded.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,814
Messages
5,123,629
Members
144,184
Latest member
H-508
Recent bookmarks
0
Top