Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm in November?

Douglas R · 08-15-2003, 05:17 PM

Sources say that Warners will be releasing the 3 strip Cinerama film THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM in November in a 2 disc set with extras on the second disc. Sounds great if this is true.

Peter Kline · 08-15-2003, 06:02 PM

Ugh. Watching a 3 strip Cinerama film on a flat screen is nothing but horrible. Plus you won't be seeing all the picture. About 20% of the image will be missing. May sound great, but it will not look great. (By the way, the original camera negs were destroyed and there will never again be a 3 strip presentation in a theatre - unless it's an excisting print). I'm off next month to Los Angeles to see How The West Was Won as it was meant to be seen, in a theatre and shown with 3 projectors on a deeply curved screen.

Patrick McCart · 08-15-2003, 08:28 PM

Technicolor prints were made for the film, so if WB is able to track down some, they could make a restoration off of them. However, I feel that it's unlikely since this is not really a great film (although, it's fun).

WB has been presented with examples of the smilebox system (which curves the image to simulate a Cinerama curved screen) by some people. Although.... I think it's more likely for them to do this with How The West Was Won since the new prints made for the anniversery look fantastic.

Stephen_J_H · 08-16-2003, 03:07 PM

I just hope it's not as bad as the DVD release of HTWWW, which was taken from an anamorphic downconversion and is not even OAR! I saw the original VHS release of Brothers Grimm, which was atrocious. Hopefully Warner will do right by this title.

Gordon McMurphy · 08-16-2003, 03:23 PM

"Sources"? That's a bit vague!

It would be great if the full 2.59:1 3-strip frame was retained - and in anamorphic SmileBox. But I doubt it will be. Actually, I doubt that Warner are going to release this. It just doesn't strike me as something that they would get behind - it's not commercial enough. But How The West Was Won most certainly is, and I would expect that film to get the deluxe treatment first.

Time will tell.

Gordy

**HTF Ads**

Doug Bull · 08-16-2003, 06:05 PM

Warner's have been pretty selective in their classic older titles, so I really can't imagine them considering such a poor commercial title as Brother's Grimm and making it a 2 disc SE as well.
Just Wishful thinking I would think.

I too would treasure a proper Anamorphic re-release of HTWWW, especially with it's original truly spectacular multi Stereo tracks restored in all of their glory.

Cinerama may well look best viewed in it's original form, but a well mastered Anamorphic DVD would make a most exciting and very welcome consolation prize.

( I would also buy TWWOTBG if it really was being considered)

SteveP · 08-17-2003, 03:53 AM

The current print of BROTHERS GRIMM that plays on TCM is considerably wider the the previously released letterboxed laser disc and has the prologue footage restored.

Peter Kline · 08-17-2003, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Cinerama may well look best viewed in it's original form, but a well mastered Anamorphic DVD would make a most exciting and very welcome consolation prize.

So you would accept the obvious visual distortion (which occurs when you flatten out a 140 degree wide angle image) and missing pic info and lack of discrete 7 channel sound? To each his own I guess. More like a "booby" prize to me.

Pete SE · 08-17-2003, 02:06 PM

I'm assuming WB might be releasing WWOTBG to cash in on any Brothers Grimm fever that may be generated from Terry Gilliam's new film. They released "The Story of Seabiscuit" just about the time the new screen version rolled out.

I agree there is nothing like seeing a Cinerama presentation, but I'm 100% behind a restored HTWWW, distortion and all. I'm most interested in having the complete aspect ratio instead of the cropping we have now.
Since it has just been restored they should be able to give us that and a better soundtrack.

The distortion and join lines didn't stop MGM from releasing it in 70MM and twice in 35MM. Most people have probably seen it flat through those presentations.

If the DVD was released with no cropping it would be even more complete than the upcoming Cinerama Dome presentations since they mask their screen down to 120 degrees to minimize cross reflections.

SteveP · 08-17-2003, 02:07 PM

John Harvey has a three-strip trailer for BROTHERS GRIMM that he showed in Dayton, that, although faded to pink, was still enormously amusing with its Cinerama effects.