The Monkees - HEAD (1 Viewer)

[Derek Miner]

Thanks for that! I wish I had some better examples, though. Access to a print or a transfer of the full frame would be great to further examime my theories.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

And I'll second that. As a former projectionist, I've lost count of the number of times the person before me on shift screwed up the framing knob and I'd have to start over from scratch for my first show by centering the knob and adjusting on the fly when starting the film. Sometimes I think it would be simpler if distributors would hard matte their flat presentations, but even that's no guarantee.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Stephen is absolutely right. In the theater, you might encounter a sloppy projectionist who will use the correct lens and aperture plate, but still improperly frame a widescreen film. That's the reason why Paramount put these widescreen framing marks at the start of every reel in a VistaVision film. They weren't taking any chances.



Today when digitally mastering a widescreen film from a full frame element, the telecine operator can make exactly the same mistake.

The tragic difference is the theatrical mis-framing might be for just one show. Hundreds of patrons might question the directors compositions or the cinematographer, but the very next show could be presented perfectly. The information is all there on the print. It just needs an operator with a good eye to show it as intended.

But a badly framed digital transfer will look like that on DVD, Hi-Def, or any other future format. The damage will be done until somebody goes back to the 35mm elements and does a new transfer.

I just wish the studios did more research to document the correct ratio, and that telecine operators paid more attention to the composition of the image on screen - instead of relying on charts and test loops.

 

[Derek Miner]

Recently discovered a page on the internet all about "lost" scenes from the film. Quite fascinating!

http://www.brilton.net/html/i/monkee..._outtakes.html

 

[TonyD]

hasnt this been oop since shortly after it was released.

 

[WadeM]

Headquarters & Pisces, Aquarius, etc... are up for sale now, with a free limited edition vinyl single of an unreleased song if purchased here: http://monkees.rhino.com/shop/promo45.lasso

I really want them to go through "Present", as that seems to contain some of their best unreleased material, especially from Mike Nesmith.

Now, if Rhino could just be put in charge of the Beatles music catalog...

 

[TonyD]

i guess you're right.
even amazon has it for 15

 

[Ruz-El]

I imagine this will get a re-release since it's an anniversary year and Rhino is always looking to update they're monkees catalog. Would love to see those deleted scenes.

 

[soop.spoon]

Anyone know if this has ever been re-released in a keepcase?

 

[Ira Siegel]

Hi Chas,
You've hit, perhaps unintentionally, on a pet peeve of mine. I think that for most stories, wide screen composition sucks. So often furrows at the top of actors' heads are lost, and so are hand gestures, which would otherwise be included in 1.33 (or 1.37) to 1 composition.
Ira

 

[Chuck Pennington]

Hand gestures lost by cropping a film as it was originally intended to be cropped? Were these hand gestures made by people who kept their arms straight down, perhaps doing some Fosse "Rhythm of Life" from SWEET CHARITY gestures? LOL

 

[Jeffrey]

Check out my next to last post (DVD Marquee Episode #36 Details) for what could be some breaking news on a 40th anniversary special edition on this beloved cult classic...

Jeffrey

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

^ Link please?

 

[Derek Miner]

http://www.dvdbijou.com/showarticle.php?id=94

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

Hmm... well I'm not sure if that was a hint.

It sounded like he was basically asking the same question that we all are. The Amazon purchase links on the site direct you to the current 1998 release. So I don't think there's any significant word on whether a new edition is coming, other than that reporter questioning what I initially did at the start of this thread. I've yet to hear anything from any actual sources, including hints or suggestions...

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

WOOPS!

I'm officially an idiot because I didn't realize that was a podcast and I only read the small bit of text on the top of the screen... Thanks for posting, I'm playing it now!