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How The West Was Won

#1
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8/25/08 at 7:51pm
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Although there is a combined thread running I thought perhaps it would be nice to discuss this upcoming release on SD DVD and Bluray Sept.9 separately. I just finished watching the Special Feature on the Ultimate Collector's Edition entitled "Cinerama Adventure". Running time is 1 hr. 36 min. and it was very informative with some nice clips from the early Cinerama Adventure films and "This Is Cinerama" of course. There were a few short scenes from How The West Was Won in the Smilebox process and I am anxiously awaiting the Bluray version to see it on a large screen. Looks quite impressive.

A quick viewing of the Overture to the film and the opening scenes showed a nicely improved soundtrack. More later.
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#2
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8/26/08 at 2:44am
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Re: How The West Was Won

So much for waiting on the Blu-ray release.




Crawdaddy
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#3
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8/26/08 at 6:06am
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Re: How The West Was Won

Did anybody else manage to grab the awesome deal on Amazon?

I was browsing a few weeks ago and noticed that the UE was listed for $19.99. I thought that the listing was wrong and that it was for the standard edition, so I searched and found it for $15.99. I went back and preordered the UE for $19.99. I totally forgot until today, when i was reviewing my pre-orders, so I checked and it's now listed at $41.99.

What a bargain!!! Every once in awhile you get lucky.
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#4
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8/26/08 at 6:38am
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Re: How The West Was Won

Can those lucky people with their early copies confirm that between the Overture and the Main Title that excruciating Ted Turner Logo - which marred the first DVD release - has been consigned to the cutting-room dustbin.
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#5
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8/26/08 at 7:07am
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Re: How The West Was Won

I managed to preorder the UE for $19.99 as well, and I hope Amazon is going to sell it at this price. But is there any news that the smilebox version might have made its way on to the DVD version?
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#6
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8/26/08 at 7:52am
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Re: How The West Was Won

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Peterson
Did anybody else manage to grab the awesome deal on Amazon?

I was browsing a few weeks ago and noticed that the UE was listed for $19.99. I thought that the listing was wrong and that it was for the standard edition, so I searched and found it for $15.99. I went back and preordered the UE for $19.99. I totally forgot until today, when i was reviewing my pre-orders, so I checked and it's now listed at $41.99.

What a bargain!!! Every once in awhile you get lucky.

I wish they'd get a move on and ship the flippin' thing...

This was going to be the title that shifted me to the Blu side, with the exclusive BD Smilebox transfer and all, but I couldn't turn Amazon's bargain down...
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#7
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8/26/08 at 8:09am
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Re: How The West Was Won

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guido Bibra
I managed to preorder the UE for $19.99 as well, and I hope Amazon is going to sell it at this price. But is there any news that the smilebox version might have made its way on to the DVD version?

It says on Amazon "...the exclusive to Blu-ray complete original “SmileBox” presentation of the film..."

Roland Lataille
Cinerama web site:
http://cineramahistory.com

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#8
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8/26/08 at 8:32am
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Re: How The West Was Won

Quote:
Originally Posted by RolandL
It says on Amazon "...the exclusive to Blu-ray complete original “SmileBox” presentation of the film..."

I was under the impression that the Ultimate collectors ed, ( both BD and SD) versions contains the 'smilebox' (2.89.1) version on Disc three ( or disc two I guess on BD)., The standard version of HTWWW will only contain the movie that has all been cleaned up by HPackard and WBrothers,.., as well as 5.1 mix and anamorphic 2.55., But the exclusive Ultimate set which contains booklets will conatin both features as well as the forementioned 96 min documentary ..
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#9
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8/26/08 at 8:57am
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Re: How The West Was Won

The Problem is that the UE-DVD is supposed to have only three discs with the movie in usual widescreen spanning the first two and the third for extras. There would be no room for the smilebox-version unless they put in a fourth disc... but I wonder why the 162-minute movie was split over two discs, it could have comfortably fit onto one with good compression. Nevertheless, for $20 plus shipping the UE is still a fantastic bargain!
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#10
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8/26/08 at 9:36am
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Re: How The West Was Won

You can't fit a 162 minute movie on one disc anymore?.. all three theatrical verons of LOTR are on its own disc along with mulitple audio channels and these films run 180 to 200 min each.. ??
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#11
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8/26/08 at 9:52am
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Re: How The West Was Won

i think the smilebox talk on the UE was always just talk in the other thread, never hinted at by Warners and only brought up when the graphic changed from 2 to 3 discs on amazon.
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#12
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8/26/08 at 11:43am
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Re: How The West Was Won

Quote:
Originally Posted by widescreenforever
You can't fit a 162 minute movie on one disc anymore?.. all three theatrical verons of LOTR are on its own disc along with mulitple audio channels and these films run 180 to 200 min each.. ??

They look great, but a lot of filtering was applied and compression is problematic in any parts with high movement, especially ROTK. I do think they're the best compressed DVDs for the amount of content on a single DVD-9. I've seen shorter films that barely used all the DVD-9 space with bad compression (Signs).

Tell The Weinstein Company to release Richard Williams' animated masterpiece The Thief and the Cobbler on DVD in Panavision widescreen and uncut! See and hear what you're missing from their Bitsy Award winner of Worst Standard Edition DVD of 2006 on YouTube!
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#13
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8/26/08 at 1:35pm
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Re: How The West Was Won

As OP Brent has the set, he can say if the smilebox version is included in SD Ultimate Edition.
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#14
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8/26/08 at 6:08pm
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Re: How The West Was Won

Well, Robert will have to forgive my moment of weakness - I rarely if ever would buy two versions of a film but in this case I was in the mood, had some extra cash and dang, I wanted the enclosed two booklets and photo cards! Regarding the Smilebox version, it is not included with the Ultimate Edition. Bit of a let down because just watching the short restored sample on the Special Feature had me wanting to see it that way and not flat - although it is still quite an improvement needless to say over the original release.
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#15
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8/26/08 at 6:25pm
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Re: How The West Was Won

Quote:
Originally Posted by Garysb
As OP Brent has the set, he can say if the smilebox version is included in SD Ultimate Edition.
It is definitely not included. My review will be going up shortly after I finish the Errol Flynn Westerns set review in the next couple of days. There are lots of smilebox clips from several movies in the "Cinerama Adventure" documentary, including some 70mm films towards the end such as "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" to give you the flavor of it, but the film proper is only presented 16:9 enhanced letterboxed to 2.89:1.

All of the interview footage in the "Cinerama Adventure" documentary was shot in 4:3, but they present it windowboxed in a 16:9 frame so that they can insert the smilebox clips in a 16:9 enhanced format.

The group commentary track on this release is outstanding. Do not overlook it if you are interested in the film's production story or the Cinerama process in general.

Regards,

Ken McAlinden
Livonia, MI USA

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