New Matilda SE DVD in Full Screen Only! (Sign the Petition) (1 Viewer)

[Joshua Clinard]

Since I just built a new computer with a DVD burner, I decided to order the R2 Matilda Special Edition 16x9 Enhanched DVD from amazon.co.uk.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Okay, so Sony just re-announced a special edition of this for the third time now. Any one know if this iteration will be full screen or wide?

 

[Jeffrey Nelson]

Damn, I was hoping this was a release of the classic boxing kangaroo film starring Elliot Gould...

 

[Joshua Clinard]

Where did you get this information? I know Amazon has a date for in sometime in June, but they never removed the DVD from it's catalog since it added it back when it was announced almost two years ago. When it was cancelled, they just changed the date. Who knows if this date is correct or not. Or did you read an announcement at some DVD news site?

 

[Drew Reiber]

Please be widescreen, please be widescreen, please be widescreen...

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Where did you get this information?

The Digital Bits.

 

[MikeEckman]

I, too, and hoping this is widescreen. Many people pass this movie off as just another kids movie, but its demented enough that even I can appreciate it!

 

[Jerome Grate]

My wife love this movie and she is so into widescreen that she would purchase this in a heart beat. See, sometimes brainwashing does work

 

[Bradley-E]

According to the SONY PICTURES website it will be FULL FRAME only.

 

[MatthewA]

Well, that sucks. I was hoping that if this "Special" edition was widescreen we might see a marked improvement in the overall output of Sony DVDs. I was also hoping we could someday get an Annie special edition that really was "special." Forget that now.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I, too, and hoping this is widescreen. Many people pass this movie off as just another kids movie, but its demented enough that even I can appreciate it!

And it totally works in that the title character is so pure. Orginally, Dahl was going to have her be the twisted one and her family the nice ones as a commentary on modern spoiled youth. His editors and/or publishers (can't remember which) made him reconsider, and he enthusiastically went in the other direction. The result is his best work IMO, a fitting swan song to the career of one of the all time great children's authors. It also anticipated the themes that make The Incredibles stand out today.
The film is a combination of the perfect child star for the role at exactly the right age to do the role justice (Mara Wilson), and a filmmaker twisted and distorted enough to render the story without pulling many punches. In an era where cloying children's entertainment was at a height, DeVito wisely sidestepped it in all but a couple instances. His narrator is the most earnest, intelligent, and comforting DeVito had been up to that point. His portrayal of Harry Wormwood gives Louie De Palma a run for his money in terms of most sleazy morale-destroyer.

One of the highlight children's films of the nineties. It's a travesty that it's being treated this way. DeVito shot it Super35, which has been both a blessing for it's pre-DVD post-theatrical life (least screwed up) but now becomes a curse as Columbia sees no glaring reason to correct it. Some day.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

It will probably have a 6.1 DTS ES soundtrack too...

:rolleyes

still recovering from the full-screen-only DTS Annie SE debacle...

 

[Robert Ringwald]

Lost my purchase if it's in full-screen. I'll order from region 2.

 

[MarcusUdeh]

Is anyone aware of cinematographer, Stefan Czapsky supervising the initial 4:3 transfer?

 

[MikeEckman]

So I take it, nothing ever changed from the original announcement that this will be 4x3 only? This disc comes out today and I have no interest if its not 16x9... :frowning:

 

[Dmitry]

Judging by the cover scans at DVD Empire, nothing has changed :frowning:

 

[Ernesto.Morin]

Nothing changed, this title is only in foolscreen.

 

[todd s]

Saw it at Costco....Foolscreen only.

Oh well. Lost sale.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Screener arrived this morning. I'm hoping against hope that it's a packaging mistake like on the Tears of the Sun Director's Cut.

I'll check it out when I get home and post then.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Crud.

The transfer is OK looking, although the source print wasn't in the greatest shape in some places. It is indeed 1.33:1, and appears to be pan & scan, not open matte. :frowning:

Those still interested should note that the special features are all aimed at children.