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How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

#1
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4/28/08 at 5:06am
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How the West Was Won announced for Blu-ray 8/26.

DVD Times - How The West Won (US BD) in August

Same bonus material as the SD
  • Film Historian Commentary
  • Dave Strohmaier’s critically-acclaimed, feature-length documentary Cinerama® Adventure
  • The Making of How the West Was Won (Archival featurette)
  • Original Theatrical trailer
Plus some Blu-ray exclusives:

Quote:
the Blu-ray release offers an exclusive in the form of the “SmileBox” version of the film which presents the image with a unique curvature that virtually recreates the true Cinerama® experience in a home theater. This Blu-ray Edition comes with a special Digi-book packaging featuring 32-pages of rare press materials and behind-the-scenes photos.

I'm looking forward to seeing this without those distracting join lines (guess that makes me a non-purist).
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#2
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4/28/08 at 7:31am
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

Sounds great.

I wonder how word gets out, official or unofficial, about this kind of release in the U.K., without word first getting out over here. Maybe those guys can give us some details about the 'Dark City' release.

Please...pardon my sarcasm. It's a condition I was born with.
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#3
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4/28/08 at 7:36am
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

DVDtimes often gets the scoop on R1 releases. Importing discs seems to be a big thing in the UK.
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#4
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4/28/08 at 9:14pm
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

My very first stop every day is DVD Times. ( followed by the Bits)
They invariably, nearly always, get the new announcements scoop first.

It's clearly obvious that they have excellent contacts in the U.S.

This latest announcement is the most exciting in a long, long time.

HTWWW should look and sound fantastic.

I can't wait, come on August.
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#5
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4/29/08 at 4:16am
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

I'm impressed to see they plan to differentiate the Bd release with a substanative exclusive feature- i.e. the smilebox effect. I would think it would be a far more compelling distinction than just adding some different epk fluff or gimicky videostreaming of edited epk fluff. Looking foward to this quite a bit. I'll also be glad to see the join lines gone. I just wonder how extreme the curvature (and significant the negative black space) will be.
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#6
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4/29/08 at 6:56am
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

Now if only Warner would use the original directional audio mix, expecially since the original MGM videocassette release in the mid-to-late 80s used the original directional audio
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#7
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4/29/08 at 10:23am
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

How the West Was Won (US - DVD R1 | BD RA) in News > Releases at DVDActive - looks like the Blu-ray release will have less non-disc extras.
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#8
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4/29/08 at 12:23pm
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

As someone who has seen the film twice in Cinerama, I have high expectations for this disc.

STOP THE MADNESS! STOP THE BUTCHERING AND ABANDONMENT OF TV SHOWS ON DVD!

My DVD List at DVD Aficionado, Now Featuring Blu-Ray

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#9
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4/29/08 at 3:03pm
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul_Scott
I'm impressed to see they plan to differentiate the Bd release with a substanative exclusive feature- i.e. the smilebox effect. I would think it would be a far more compelling distinction than just adding some different epk fluff or gimicky videostreaming of edited epk fluff. Looking foward to this quite a bit. I'll also be glad to see the join lines gone. I just wonder how extreme the curvature (and significant the negative black space) will be.
Take a gander at the Cinerama Adventure website at the link below. The negative black space would be insignificant on a 16:9 display.
The Cinerama Adventure - "Smilebox" Process

\"My opinion is that (a) anyone who actually works in a video store and does not understand letterboxing has given up on life, and (b) any customer who prefers to have the sides of a movie hacked off should not be licensed to operate a video player.\"-- Roger Ebert

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#10
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5/2/08 at 4:16pm
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger_R
How the West Was Won (US - DVD R1 | BD RA) in News > Releases at DVDActive - looks like the Blu-ray release will have less non-disc extras.
non-disc extras?
is that another way of saying the sd special edition will have more extras?

thats too bad.
i did notice the msrp was higher for the special edition over the blu-ray.

ok now i see what that is.
too ad all that stuff won't be on the blu-ray.
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#11
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5/2/08 at 5:34pm
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyD
non-disc extras?
is that another way of saying the sd special edition will have more extras?

thats too bad.
i did notice the msrp was higher for the special edition over the blu-ray.

ok now i see what that is.
too ad all that stuff won't be on the r.
Hey, I rather have what really counts.

Streeting simultaneously will also be a Blu-ray™ Hi-Def ($34.99 SRP) version. Again, all the 2-disc features will be included, along with special Digi-book packaging featuring 32-pages of rare press materials and behind-the-scenes photos. Also, exclusive to Blu-ray is the “SmileBox” version of the film which presents the image with a unique curvature that virtually recreates the true Cinerama® experience in a home theater. We've attached the official package artwork for the Ultimate Collector's Edition below:
G.W. McLintock: Camille, you're on your own.
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#12
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5/2/08 at 5:39pm
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

no doubt, but there is some nice stuff in that special edition.
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#13
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5/2/08 at 6:11pm
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger_R
How the West Was Won (US - DVD R1 | BD RA) in News > Releases at DVDActive - looks like the Blu-ray release will have less non-disc extras.

I read the link, and i dont read "less' into it all all. But it will have all the disc extras for sure, PLUS the smile box, and that is Blu-ray exclusive. But it reads to me that its as full feature as the DVD release.
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#14
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5/2/08 at 6:18pm
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

i had to read that post a couple times to figure it out.
the missing features on the blu-ray are the "10 behind-the-scenes photo cards and 10 postcards, and an exclusive movie poster offer."
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#15
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5/3/08 at 8:13am
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

I'm really excited to be able to see this in Smilebox. Warners has once again gone out of their way to do things right.
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#16
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5/3/08 at 9:53am
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

Anybody else here skeptical about the Smilebox process? Perhaps someone has seen it in action. To me, it sounds gimmicky.

I've used the link that explains what it is and how it works, but still...
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#17
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5/3/08 at 11:16am
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

Quote:
Originally Posted by David Wilkins
Anybody else here skeptical about the Smilebox process? Perhaps someone has seen it in action. To me, it sounds gimmicky.

I've used the link that explains what it is and how it works, but still...

Nope. Maybe if that was the ONLY way to watch it. But why worry, you still have the letterbox version in the SAME set. This is just an extra, above and beyond what they had to do...very happy to see the extra mile for US!

Thanks Warner!
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#18
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5/3/08 at 11:17am
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

"gimmicky" as in say the PIP HUD display on Transformers or the Swat the Fly video game on The Fly disc or any and all web-enabled next gen features? um........no.

I value bonus content such as this smilebox version way more than all the bonus features listed above.
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#19
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5/3/08 at 11:27am
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

Guys,

Perhaps what I said came across the wrong way. I'm happy to have it as an added feature. By gimmicky, I'm wondering how effective it really is. It's hard to imagine the projected 2-dimensional image providing even a faint glimmer of real thing. I'm wondering if anybody has more knowledge about the technique, or have actually seen a working demo.

I'll gladly take this added feature, whether or not it's very effective, over the majority of the junk that's included as extra features on most fully loaded discs or sets. Aside from well produced documentaries, I find most of the stuff a waste of time.
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#20
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5/3/08 at 11:32am
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

I've never seen a film in the smilebox ratio so I'm in the same boat as you. Don't know if I'll like it or not either but as Rick stated there's always the letterboxed version.

and if my post came off as sarcastic it wasn't directed at you or anyone but at those at the studio's who think this "my-space type" junk content is what we want.
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#21
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5/3/08 at 11:36am
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim_K
I've never seen a film in the smilebox ratio so I'm in the same boat as you. Don't know if I'll like it or not either but as Rick stated there's always the letterboxed version.

and if my post came off as sarcastic it wasn't directed at you or anyone but at those at the studio's who think this "my-space type" junk content is what we want.

No, I understand. I'm with you a 100%.
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#22
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5/3/08 at 1:02pm
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

Quote:
Perhaps someone has seen it in action. To me, it sounds gimmicky.

I've seen true 3 panel/3 projector Cinerama on a curved screen a couple of times, and have also viewed sections of Cinerama footage in the Smilebox format. The Smilebox format helps reduce distortions inherent in the 3-Strip process when shown on a flat screen.

It's worth noting the Smilebox format is only ...'completely benign' with 3 strip Cinerama sources. ..But 65/70mm formats that played on curved screens, including Todd-AO and single strip shot Cinerama features like "2001" and "IAMMMW", could use a variety of lenses. So if Smilebox was used with a Todd-AO feature like "Oklahoma!" which was originally designed to be shown on a curved screen, some of the fisheye lensed shots would benefit, while others would suffer from new distortions.
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#23
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5/3/08 at 1:14pm
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

Quote:
Originally Posted by GregK
I've seen true 3 panel/3 projector Cinerama on a curved screen a couple of times, and have also viewed sections of Cinerama footage in the Smilebox format. The Smilebox format helps reduce distortions inherent in the 3-Strip process when shown on a flat screen.

It's worth noting the Smilebox format is only ...'completely benign' with 3 strip Cinerama sources. ..65/70mm formats, including Todd-AO and single strip shot Cinerama features like "2001" and "IAMMMW", could use a variety of lenses. So if Smilebox was used with a Todd-AO feature like "Oklahoma!" which was originally designed to be shown on a curved screen, some of the fisheye lensed shots would benefit, while others would suffer from new distortions.

Thanks for the info. As someone who's actually seen Smilebox, do you think that the issues it addresses benefit from that presentation, more than the distortion distracts from a traditional presentation of the material on flat screen?

At face value, just looking at the screen capture on the web page, the Smilebox version look tremendously distorted. Perhaps the effect looks more natural, and "works" better in presentation.
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#24
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5/3/08 at 1:34pm
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

The jacket art says "Hi-Def Sound" so I assume we'll be getting TrueHD.

That seals the deal for me. I'm getting this one.
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#25
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5/3/08 at 1:58pm
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

Quote:
Originally Posted by David Wilkins
Thanks for the info. As someone who's actually seen Smilebox, do you think that the issues it addresses benefit from that presentation, more than the distortion distracts from a traditional presentation of the material on flat screen?

At face value, just looking at the screen capture on the web page, the Smilebox version look tremendously distorted. Perhaps the effect looks more natural, and "works" better in presentation.

David Strohmaier's recent feature CINERAMA ADVENTURE uses the Smilebox format very effectively. But ironically, I viewed this feature at the Arclight in Los Angles which was shown on it's curved Cinerama screen.

I've viewed Smilebox video on a couple of occasions. The first was a private session that I can't go into, while the second time was on the KING KONG disc 2 bonus features (Go to the Marian C Cooper Feature and then go to chapter 11 on Cinerama) and felt it also reduced the distortions. If you have this DVD or perhaps can rent it from a local video store or library, I would highly recommend checking it out.

But more to the point and to better answer your question- It's worth noting Cinerama even in it's pure 3-panel/3-projector form was still not a perfect film format when it came to panel distortions. I've noticed panel distortions on occasion during true 3-panel Cinerama showings. And the first laserdisc and DVD of HOW THE WEST WAS WON has them as well. Now Warner Brothers has done a LOT of work aligning the 3-panels with 21st century technology, so it will be very interesting to see what they have been able to do.

And while I am a proponent of Smileboxing for 3-strip Cinerama, I give Warners high marks for including both versions for Blu-Ray. After all.. I've been toying with a quick throw up curved screen for my front projection system. So if that works as planned, I would want to use the non-rectified (letterboxed) version in that case.
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#26
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5/8/08 at 11:37am
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephen_J_H
Take a gander at the Cinerama Adventure website at the link below. The negative black space would be insignificant on a 16:9 display.
The Cinerama Adventure - "Smilebox" Process

This picture of Search For Paradise in smilebox off that website looks so spectacular. Unbelievable. I can't wait to see How The West Was Won in smilebox.



And a post from Martin Hart (the curator of American WideScreen Museum - provided as a public service by Martin Hart) on rec.arts.movies.tech makes my mouth water even more:
Quote:
Dave Strohmaier saw the Smilebox version projected on a big screen at Warners yesterday. He says it's just incredible. The curved screen effect really works, he reports. He also says that the panel matching is unbelievable and the panel lines are all but invisible; he says some people may not even see them.
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#27
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5/10/08 at 7:40pm
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26



Ever since I saw High Definition and started buying HD-DVD and Blu-ray titles. I now want to own the classic titles that I did not care about owning in SD. I can not wait to own this title for the first time and I am willing to bet that it is going to look awsume, I bet the colors pop of the screen.

This will be just one of many classic films that make there way into my HD library. Now if I could just come up with the cash to purchase a 1080p Runco projector and a Stewart Cinecurve 120" screen then I would be sound as a pound. Besides could you imagine a 120" Cinecurve screen between two Altec Lancing A-7's.

1080p High Definition SupporterLossless Audio Supporter Current Library: 221 DVD's / 70 HD-DVD's / 181 Blu-ray's (251 HD Titles)

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#28
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5/11/08 at 5:51am
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

Well I have to say I was a bit unsure about whether I'd like the smilebox presentation but after seeing that screenshot I'm convinced that it's going to look spectacular on my display.

I'm officially hyped.
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#29
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5/12/08 at 6:12pm
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

I saw this in L.A with Crawdaddy and Ron Epstein.... Loved the movie, and will buy this BluRay release sight unseen!!

Steven Simon
Steve's Home Theater
Email: darth23@optonline.net
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#30
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5/12/08 at 7:56pm
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Re: How the West Was Won - Blu-ray release 8/26

This movie will also be a prime candidate for the benefits of HD. The spherical lens used in the Cinerama system provided an incomparable depth of field so in HD you may have an extraordinary sense of "looking through a window" with HTWWW. In many of the shots in the film everything is in sharp focus from a few feet from the lens out to infinity. Very impressive.
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