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The Electric Horseman/Midnight Run...former Image Titles...

#1
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5/14/03 at 4:25pm
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The Electric Horseman was just re-released by Universal Studios on May 6. I'm assuming this is now an anamorphic widescreen release? I could find no reviews anywhere.

Also, Midnight Run is set for a June 3 release. I have the original Image title of that one too.

Anyone have these newer versions? Improved picture?

Thanks!
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#2
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5/14/03 at 5:49pm
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The Electric Horseman was just re-released by Universal Studios on May 6. I'm assuming this is now an anamorphic widescreen release? I could find no reviews anywhere.

I thought the first dvd release was already anamorphic?
G.W. McLintock: Camille, you're on your own.
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#3
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5/14/03 at 6:39pm
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I don't think it was Robert. But my luck it was! Of course I sold my copy reading somewhere that a newer transfer was set for release. I still have MRun and will check it out to see if it's anamorphic.
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#4
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5/14/03 at 7:06pm
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Quote:
I thought the first dvd release was already anamorphic?


The Image DVD of Electric Horseman was not anamorphic.

The new Universal re-release is anamorphic. No extras besides a trailer. The DVD also has an insert card.

Quote:
I still have MRun and will check it out to see if it's anamorphic.

The Image release of Midnight Run is not anamorphic, although the video quality isn't bad.
Randy A. Salas
DVD Columnist & Feature Writer
Minneapolis Star Tribune daily newspaper
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#5
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5/14/03 at 7:47pm
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the new version of Electric Horseman may be anamorphic, but the Willie nelson music has been removed. no sale.
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#6
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5/14/03 at 7:52pm
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Quote:
the new version of Electric Horseman may be anamorphic, but the Willie nelson music has been removed. no sale.
You are joking, right? Please tell me you're joking. There's Willie Nelson music all throughout the first half of the movie!!!
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#7
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5/14/03 at 8:29pm
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You are joking, right? Please tell me you're joking. There's Willie Nelson music all throughout the first half of the movie!!!

I wish i was. Here's a link to a discussion thread concerning this:
http://www.dvdfile.com/interactive/f...threadid=31721
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#8
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5/14/03 at 8:30pm
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Quote:
the Willie nelson music has been removed.

I am not familiar with the movie and don't have time to watch the whole DVD. But a spot check shows that there is definitely a Willie Nelson song over the end credits on the Universal DVD. If someone wants to tell me where else there should be songs by him, I can check.
Randy A. Salas
DVD Columnist & Feature Writer
Minneapolis Star Tribune daily newspaper
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#9
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5/14/03 at 8:48pm
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the beginning credits should have "My Heroes Have always been Cowboys," the scene after Redford drunkenly falls off his horse should have "Mama Dont Let your babies grow up to be cowboys," & the scene where redford rides Rising Star on the vegas strip should have "Midnight Rider" as the background music. have i forgotten anything?
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#10
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5/14/03 at 9:28pm
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James, all the Willie Nelson songs you list--plus the end-credit tune that you didn't mention--are there except My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys during the opening credits. Instead, there's a harmonica-driven country-western instrumental (Dave Grusin's score, I'm guessing) during the opening credits.

The DVDLaser.com review of the Image DVD states:
Quote:
Although the jacket cover claims that the presentation is the ‘Home Video version’ with ‘some music rescored,’ the opening Willie Nelson song, My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys, which was replaced by an instrumental on the LD, has been restored on the DVD.

So there's obviously a history to the use of this song on the home-video version of the movie, probably stemming from legal rights to its use. Either Image erred and used a version of the movie it wasn't supposed to on its DVD(now "corrected" by Universal to avoid legal problems), or Universal erred and used the rescored version when it could have used the original (based on Image's use of it).
Randy A. Salas
DVD Columnist & Feature Writer
Minneapolis Star Tribune daily newspaper
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#11
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5/15/03 at 12:13am
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I can't believe that about Willie's song. That opening # was terrific. Guess I need to find this OOP dvd again. Dangit!
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#12
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5/15/03 at 2:08am
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Regarding Midnight Run, the Universal DVD will have a new anamorphic transfer, according to a recent news item on dvdfile.com.

As for the music on Electric Horseman: I have the Region 2 DVD that Universal released over a year ago in Europe. It has a new transfer with the new Universal logo at the beginning so I guess it's identical to the R1.
The disc does indeed feature the instrumental music during the opening credits, but guess what I heard when I flipped over to the German language track? Exactly! The Willie Nelson song in all its glory.

Chris
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#13
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5/15/03 at 7:18am
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Okay, this makes zero sense to me. "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" was specifically recorded for the movie. In fact, the song was actually produced by director Sydney Pollack! Why the f**k would it ever be removed? It's an integral part of the opening credits!

That's ridiculous.
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#14
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5/15/03 at 10:03am
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Quote:
Why the f**k would it ever be removed? It's an integral part of the opening credits!
Lawyers!
Willie Nelson's, too dumb to be human lawyer.
WN tax lawyer sold all of WN music!
To raise money too payoff the IRS.
The dummy didn't know that WN catalog will make much, much, more than it ever sold for.
So, now Willie doesn't own his own songs (except the ones his written since, of coarse).
Bet the person/persons that do own the songs, are trying to recoup some of the cash, from the outlay of the sale.
And Universal said, NO!

Or, someone got lazy and used the previous LD soundtrack! :b

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#15
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5/15/03 at 10:28am
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Quote:
Lawyers!
Willie Nelson's, too dumb to be human lawyer.
WN tax lawyer sold all of WN music!
To raise money too payoff the IRS.

I have a feeling the song's omission does get back to legal issues, but this explanation doesn't make sense to me.

First of all, Willie Nelson didn't write My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys (Sharon Vaughn did), so it doesn't seem as if the song was his to sell.

Second, it is the only Willie Nelson song that was cut from the film. All of the others remain.

Quote:
"My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" was specifically recorded for the movie.

Well, that's true, but the song wasn't written for the movie. Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings recorded it at least three years before The Electric Horseman came out.

I have an inquiry in to Universal. We'll see if they give a sensible response.
Randy A. Salas
DVD Columnist & Feature Writer
Minneapolis Star Tribune daily newspaper
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#16
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5/15/03 at 10:37am
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Midnight Run will have a "Making-of" and the trailer, too.

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#17
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5/15/03 at 10:57am
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Quote:
I have an inquiry in to Universal. We'll see if they give a sensible response.
Thank you so much; please report your findings.

And to think I almost bought this disc yesterday. I'm so glad this thread came up! By the way, a few weeks ago the movie played on Turner Classic Movies with the music score completely intact. It was in the correct 2.35:1 aspect ratio as well. Dang...I should've taped it!

Unless this was an honest mistake, this should not have happened. If they can't keep the complete original soundtrack, they should simply hold off on releasing the disc until they've got the rights. There's simply no excuse for them doing this knowingly. Let's face it. This isn't a case where they replace a song that's being played in a crowded bar scene where you can barely tell over the noise what the song is anyway. This song is specifically tailored to the opening credits. For instance, the musical interlude between verses where you hear muted trumpets as you see Redford's busted-up (and casted) arm picking up his latest rodeo medal.
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#18
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5/15/03 at 11:06am
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So why doesn't the new Universal disc have the "Some Music Rescored" message on it??

Home video oddities, old commercials and other junk: http://www.youtube.com/user/eyeh8nbc

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#19
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5/15/03 at 11:26am
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I guess I should be happy I didn't dump the Image disk in anticipation for the Universal. The Image transfer is pretty darn bad though. Ironically I got snookered into buying the the Image DVD because it said "anamorphic" on the back -- I didn't read the fine print -- they were talking about the movie, not the DVD...

I guess the optimal way to watch the film would be to start with Image disk and then switch to Universal after the credits -- OK, I don't think I'm that crazy

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#20
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5/15/03 at 2:07pm
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Good one (your post, that is), Randy.:b
Will be 'fun' to find out the truth, behind this!

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HD should be for EVERYONE!

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#21
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6/5/03 at 7:31am
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Quote:
the new version of Electric Horseman may be anamorphic, but the Willie nelson music has been removed. no sale.


True -- the opening credits may be now only the instrumental cited above but the song is prominently used throughout the movie. It seems silly to bypass this classic for this change.

Quote:
And to think I almost bought this disc yesterday. I'm so glad this thread came up! By the way, a few weeks ago the movie played on Turner Classic Movies with the music score completely intact. It was in the correct 2.35:1 aspect ratio as well. Dang...I should've taped it!


You're kidding, right? This is an excellent transfer of one of the classic collaborations between Fonda and Redford. The transfer is excellent with no possible way to recreate it on tape. The price is reasonable. I don't see what all the fuss is about .

Joel
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#22
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6/5/03 at 9:07am
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Joel,

I'm assuming the new anamorphic transfer is cleaner and provides a more 3 dimensional look to it? Thanks!
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#23
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6/5/03 at 9:42am
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You're kidding, right? This is an excellent transfer of one of the classic collaborations between Fonda and Redford. The transfer is excellent with no possible way to recreate it on tape. The price is reasonable. I don't see what all the fuss is about

I'm not kidding. For me, the opening song is a integral and inseparable part of the movie itself. I don't mind renting the new disc, but I'm certainly not going to buy it when it's been altered in that fashion. I know that may sound extreme to some, but that's just the way I feel...
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#24
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6/5/03 at 1:09pm
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I'm assuming the new anamorphic transfer is cleaner and provides a more 3 dimensional look to it? Thanks!


shame about the opening credits, but the new disc DOES look nice.
very clean, very clear, sharp.
for $10, it would be a shame to pass it up just because of the opening credits.
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#25
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6/5/03 at 1:21pm
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Quote:
I'm assuming the new anamorphic transfer is cleaner and provides a more 3 dimensional look to it? Thanks!


Tim, the film has as clean a transfer as I've seen to date of that era (considering this is not one of the 'blockbusters' that come out of that era and justify a full restoration in anticipation of great returns). I can't comment on the 3-dimensionality of the film -- though it certainly provides a magnificent view of the Utah/Nevada area . Certainly worthy of consideration vs. a taped version of a TCM run.


Quote:
I'm not kidding. For me, the opening song is a integral and inseparable part of the movie itself. I don't mind renting the new disc, but I'm certainly not going to buy it when it's been altered in that fashion. I know that may sound extreme to some, but that's just the way I feel...


Mark, no disrespect intended. Just checking to see how serious you were about what I consider a minor point (the theme is presented as an instrumental substitute to listening to Willy Nelson's version). You can certainly enjoy his singing of the same song within the context of the movie itself. IMHO Dave Grusin's instrumental is not a significant reduction of artistic integrity (if not quite as satisfying as listening to Willy's voice -- considering he didn't even compose the piece). The movie is what I buy DVD's for and transfer quality followed by audio and anamorphic OAR integrity are my hot-buttons. I understand if these are not the universal qualifications criteria here at the HTF.

Joel
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#26
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6/5/03 at 8:25pm
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Thanks for review Joel.
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