MarcusUdeh

To Buena Vista Home Entertainment:

The DVD format is a great avenue for ignored films to garner a renewed cult interest. An example of this
came in 1999 from Fox with the release of their movie Ravenous. The DVD was an unexpected success, due in part to then debuting avant-garde DVD producer David Britten Prior. His devotion to uncompromising A/V presentation and the most dynamic use of the DVD format during the supplemental portions has made him the leader of the pack of ballsy DVD producers. With this particular DVD producer in mind and the concept of ignored works receiving Diamond treatment on the DVD format – I am requesting that the title in your library Beloved be reworked for a new multi-disc definitive edition.

An adaptation of a Nobel Prize in literature – this film was a labor of love for its star-producer, whom fought to get her vision on the screen for ten years. Oprah Winfrey is America’s number one media icon and arguably the most dynamic personality in contemporary history. When she began searching for a director, she approached Jane Campion – Oscar winner and acclaimed director of The Piano. Ms. Campion felt she didn’t know enough about African American culture to convey a proper emotional texture. Then Jodie Foster was asked to direct who coincidently wrote a college dissertation on the novel version. She declined to direct also because didn’t believe that Beloved was filmable from her prospective. Australian director Peter Weir told Oprah he couldn't quite see her in the movie. Finally after many other searches for a director Oprah came into contact with another Oscar winner, Jonathan Demme, whom Oprah says as a Black soul and could understand the African American experience.


An excerpt from Moviemaker Magazine, Jonathan Demme says; “It had a complicated reception. It’s funny, because I feel that what we’ve read about Beloved in magazines and the newspapers may present one perspective on how the movie fared and what the movie’s story was. But, the thing is, I love the movie and I’m so proud of it and I thank God and Walt Disney—and Oprah—that I was able to make that picture. I love that it’s part of our American movie literature, but
I think that we ended up selling that picture with an evident degree of ‘it’s take your medicine time, America.’ I think the intentions behind that attitude were pure, but it probably just wasn’t a smart approach. Also, the picture probably opened much too wide. If we had the opportunity to market it again, we would have been much more low-key about it: open it up smaller and give it a chance to find its audience. “

“The first time I saw it, I thought they were going to have to carry me out," Oprah Winfrey says of Beloved, the film based on Toni Morrison's unforgettable Pulitzer Prize-winning novel in which Oprah stars as Sethe, a mother who is haunted by the daughter she killed to keep her from being a slave. "Every single image caused such intense, deeply-felt emotions."

Toni Morrison's reaction to the film delighted Oprah. "On the actors -- a beautifully bejeweled performance," says Morrison. "I was amazed and pleased -- from the first showing, even when I was anticipating what was going to happen -- it's unprecedented. Spectacular -- It has teeth and doesn't bite its tongue."

Maya Angelou, author and longtime friend, emerged from the premiere crying. Actress Uma Thurman said she couldn't remember the last time she'd seen something "so compelling and profound".

Please Buena Vista, Oprah Winfrey, David Britten Prior and Jonathan Demme consider this concept.

MarcusUdeh

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Magnus T

I found this quite amusing, cosidering Ravenous is 4:3 letterbox. I agree about David Prior being one of the best DVD producers out there though.

Good luck Marcus.

There is no spoon...
but there is a fork with a cork!

MarcusUdeh

Thanks man

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Chad R

Check your spelling and grammar before sending anything. Other than that, good luck to you.

MarcusUdeh

How embarrassing for me? Thank you Chad for the side note. Btw why didn’t you simply send me a private message?

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Brian W.

That was exactly my problem with the film. A trained ACTRESS should have should have played the part, someone like Angela Bassett, who seemed tailor-made for that role... Oprah, despite being excellent in a supporting role in Color Purple, wasn't strong enough to carry the film, in my opinion.

It does seem unlikely that there will be a multi-disc special edition release of a movie that kind of bombed at the box office, but you never know.

MarcusUdeh

A trained actress could've brought a more focused performance - however Black actresses in Hollywood aren't box-office draws. But a media giant like Oprah Winfrey could easily bring in her daytime audience in record numbers - opening day. Though I am bias, I honestly don't believe I would've enjoyed this movie as much had someone played the lead. Recently I tried renting that Angelica Huston movie that beat out Oprah for Oscar gold for The Color Purple and couldn't find it. Ironic as this may sound The Color Purple came on local network TV - and cemented by belief that she was robbed plain and simple.

As far as the multi-disc set goes it would take Oprah herself to get the ball rolling. Honestly Jonathan Demme’s last movie was a critical and box-office bomb – he’d have no real clout at this point and time.

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Sean Laughter

I'm a big fan of the novel. The movie, while flawed, I find very enjoyable - and I feel it has one of the best scores of that year.

Marcus, you wouldn't happen to have a higher resolution version of the poster on the right of your signature would you?

MarcusUdeh

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Tino

Shouldn't this thread be in the SOFTWARE section since it pertains to DVD?

Maybe even the Studio And Manufacturer Feedback area would be an even better idea.

Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus.

Julian Lalor

Then, why did the film still flop? It's not a bad film of itself, but compared to the book it's pretty ordinary. The best you could hope for here is a 16:9 transfer, which is already available in regions other than R1. The movie simply didn't, and because of its length never will, find anything beyond a niche audience.