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Universal releasing Non-OAR dvds including "The Forbin Project, "Charley Varrick"

post #1 of 114
10/25/04 at 7:11am
Thread Starter 
Universal has made the incredibly dumb decision to release full frame DVDs of films such as Charley Varrick, Colossus: The Forbin Project, Iceman, Raggedy Man & Tank. This is especially catastrophic for films such as Colossus:The Forbin Project and Iceman as they were shot in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio.

If you are as outraged as I am, please let Universal know how you feel. You can contact them through their website:

http://www.universalstudios.com/home...gi?email_id=10
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post #2 of 114
10/25/04 at 7:18am
Yup, noted here and here. Disgrace.
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post #3 of 114
10/25/04 at 9:03am
Damn! Aren't there any film fans working at Universal? Looks like I'll have to stick with my widescreen vhs copy of Colossus for a few more years.
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post #4 of 114
10/25/04 at 9:15am
Thanks to the second link provided, you can see clearly that these are most likely going to be OAR, so why say "disgraceful", John? It's pointed out that the early announcement on the Universal site said "full frame" but that that's what they always do and it is not to be taken seriously. Apparently it gets updated when the covers are added to the site. According to that thread, Colossus and every other title will be in its proper OAR.
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post #5 of 114
10/25/04 at 9:34am
It's pointed out that the early announcement on the Universal site said "full frame" but that that's what they always do and it is not to be taken seriously.


That was the conjecture in that thread Arthur, but it does look like bad news; most etailers are confirming the FF nature of the titles, and there's no change at Universal (who have also confirmed the AR). For instance check out Charley Varrick.
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post #6 of 114
10/25/04 at 9:34am
Universal's business-to-business website has the November titles listed together: 4 of the titles (Cloak & DAgger, Commandments, Missing, and Splitting Heirs) are listed as Anamorphic Widescreen. The other 4 releases for that day (Colossus, The Cure, Little Miss Marker, and Sweet Liberty) are listed as full-frame. The artwork for Colossus also says full frame. It's pretty certain that those will be full-frame.
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post #7 of 114
10/25/04 at 10:36am
Interesting on how both MISSING and ONCE AROUND are listed as being Anamorphic, but on the website the Widescreen banner does not appear. Perhaps they will ALL be Anamorphic but without the banner on the artwork. It seems silly that Universal would start a practice of inconsistant transfers. I'm hoping I am correct. I've been wanting ICEMAN. But NOT FULL FRAME.
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post #8 of 114
10/25/04 at 10:41am
Yes, I think we're going to have to wait and see. I would find it doubtful, too, that they suddenly would do a 2:35 film like Colossus full frame. Nothing in their recent history would suggest this, so I just don't see a reason to get upset until the fat lady sings.:b
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post #9 of 114
10/25/04 at 10:57am
Thread Starter 
I hope people here are right about this being early mistaken info on Universal's website. Since these are part of a new budget line of DVDs by them, I'm a little wary, but I'll wait & see.
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post #10 of 114
10/25/04 at 11:01am
There is absolutely nothing wrong with telling Universal that we will not stand for non-OAR transfers right here, right now.

If all this does is flush out their marketing department to tell us that, yes, they've got it wrong, the Universal website is misleading and these are OAR, then I can only see that as a positive.

On the other hand, if these are FF it will tell Universal exactly why their sales of these titles are so poor; it's not that we don't want the movies, we just want 'em done in the correct manner.
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post #11 of 114
10/25/04 at 11:27am
I agree with you, John.
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post #12 of 114
10/25/04 at 11:32am
Thanks, Jay. Just sent Universal an email. I'm furious about "Charley Varrick" and "Colossus," particularly as both are available in OAR on laserdisc (I have the former).
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post #13 of 114
10/25/04 at 1:24pm
Furious aboutwhat? These titles have not been released and at this point no one knows if they are incorrect. The chances are, given Universal's track record over the last few years, that the aspect ratio will be correct. I just don't understand all this tsuris over something that will probably be correct. And, if it is correct, will all of you come back and say, "Thanks, Universal, for getting it right?" As I look back on other threads with this sort of worrying, where the DVD in question was done correctly, no one ever comes back and says they were wrong or that maybe they should have just waited until the DVD actually came out and/or was reviewed by someone.
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post #14 of 114
10/25/04 at 1:37pm
Quote:
The chances are, given Universal's track record over the last few years, that the aspect ratio will be correct. I just don't understand all this tsuris over something that will probably be correct.


Great if that turns out to be the case,
but i am more inclined to believe that come Dec/Jan we will be seeing the first post sale/new managment at the top effects.
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post #15 of 114
10/25/04 at 1:40pm
And, if it is correct, will all of you come back and say, "Thanks, Universal, for getting it right?"


Yup; and I'll email Universal to say thank you too; fact is that their website currently says that the titles are not - it shouldn't be too hard for someone at Universal to confirm either way now would it? Call it customer care...
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post #16 of 114
10/25/04 at 2:14pm
Oh, I totally agree that they are asleep at the wheel in terms of their website and it's reprehensible and causes nothing but problems (and threads like this). That aside, and again given their excellent track record with OAR, I think everything is going to be fine. If I'm wrong, I'll squeal loudest, but I just won't squeal until the DVD is in my hand or I've read a review.
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post #17 of 114
10/25/04 at 6:58pm
"Thank you for contacting us and for your interest in our 'Charley Varrick' DVD release scheduled for 12/28/04. As is noted on our website at http://homevideo.universalstudios.com, the DVD will be available in the Fullframe format.

We appreciate your interest and hope that you will continue to enjoy Universal products."



Sincerely,

Universal Studios Home Video--Consumer Relations
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post #18 of 114
10/26/04 at 4:03am
WHY?

"Budget range" - it costs more to pan and scan a 2.35:1 film than present it in anamorphic letterbox. If they pan and scan Colossus, I'll throw a shit-fit.
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post #19 of 114
10/26/04 at 5:27am
Quote:
it costs more to pan and scan a 2.35:1 film than present it in anamorphic letterbox.


Not if they're using existing transfers that were done previously, say, for TV broadcast.
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post #20 of 114
10/26/04 at 5:34am
Thread Starter 
If that e-mail to Larry is correct:

As I said before, I was wary about these titles seeing how they were part of a new budget line by Universal.

I suggest everyone write to Universal BEFORE THE FACT, instead of waiting & getting upset after you receive the DVD. Better be safe than sorry, you never know, if they get enough e-mails complaining about these full frame releases they may decide to release them OAR. It worked with Columbia on Castle Keep.
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post #21 of 114
10/26/04 at 5:55am
...if they get enough e-mails complaining about these full frame releases they may decide to release them OAR


And of course the opposite is true; if they don't get enough complaints we'll simply get more of the same...
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post #22 of 114
10/26/04 at 6:56am
I've got "Varrick" and I've seen the widescreen "Iceman." It's a whole different film...

I e-mailed Universal back when these were first announced and got a generic, thanks a bunch for your interest.

Universal is the worst company for OAR. I've known this for years, since I met their sales reps while working at a video store. They don't see a point to it.

Columbia seems to have learned a little (or, if you really wanted a title, you could always just go to R2), but Universal is getting worse. And they were the best laserdisc company...

This is very disappointing, as I would have at least rented most of the titles and definitely bought a few. Not anymore.
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post #23 of 114
10/26/04 at 7:48am
Quote:
Universal is the worst company for OAR
Yet, they anamorphically remaster Silent Running, Andromeda Strain, Scarface, Animal House, Field of Dreams, The Thing, Dracula '79 and so on. So they are obviously committed to video presentation. So why are they releasing bona fide cult gems in open-matte and pan and scan? Laziness, probably. Like Randy says, they probably had TV masters lying around and used them. Bad working practice.

Of course, there is always the chance that the R2 editions will have new anamorphic PAL masters created for them.

Looking forward to next year when Sometimes a Great Notion gets a 1.33 presentation...
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post #24 of 114
10/26/04 at 8:16am
I think the catalog culture is changing at companys. Columbia releases an obscure catalog title and gets suprised when people want it in OAR. Universal was good (heck, even their Goodtimes licensed titles were okay--"Halloween 2" has a great non-anamorphic transfer), and now they aren't.

Aren't these companies planning for HD?


Oh, has the open-matte been confirmed on any of these titles? I'm not above taping construction paper onto my TV...
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post #25 of 114
10/26/04 at 11:18am
I just got done reading that RAH interview, and I think that they are just using their television master, which is probably less worn out than the OAR master.

However, this still doesn't make it right. It's Colossus that I am worried about. Get me a negative answer on that, and I'll protest. I think we could easily get a petition together for that.

Glenn
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post #26 of 114
10/26/04 at 12:39pm
It was Glenn Erikson over at DVD Talk who put the boot into Columbia for the Castle Keep travesty, which was subsequently re-released in OAR, and now DVD Savant is sounding a warning again:

"With Castle Keep now being released in Widescreen in response to the outrage engendered by a Pan-Scan disc last July, I'm informed that Universal may be pulling the same thing with at least two new releases under their 'Studio Selections' banner (like, somebody else would do the choosing?). Colossus: The Forbin Project is a Panavision film that looks crummy Pan-Scanned, and Charley Varrick: The Last of the Independents a very wide 1:85 film that also needs to be letterboxed and enhanced. If my information is correct, both discs due out next month will be flat-adapted to 'fit' outmoded 4x3 television screens. One's a superior science fiction movie and the other a terrific Don Siegel thriller, but neither have a high-profile talent like Sydney Pollack to cause a ruckus and get some changes made. Universal's been very good about aspect ratios and the like in the last couple of years, and we hope they don't intend to start dumping cruddy flat transfers on the market as a common practice.

"I have to stress that my information is from a reader and isn't verified by Universal, so this alarm possibly qualifies as uninformed web gossip. Just figured it was in our own best interests to pass this info along ... and I hope it's incorrect!"
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post #27 of 114
10/26/04 at 5:24pm
"I have to stress that my information is from a reader and isn't verified by Universal, so this alarm possibly qualifies as uninformed web gossip. Just figured it was in our own best interests to pass this info along ... and I hope it's incorrect!"

Obviously the most important statement made by the Savant. As bad as it seems, I'm still giving the benefit of the doubt to Universal and will be patient and non-panicked until I have the disc in hand or read an actual review by someone who's actually seen it.
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post #28 of 114
10/26/04 at 7:27pm
I sure hope Arthur is right, and I'll keep my hopes up, but it doesn't look good. I e-mailed Universal twice when the full-frame COLOSSUS was first announced and didn't even get the generic reply. At that time there was a blurb about widescreen on the Universal DVD website, about why the original aspect ratio is the best way to see a film. I quoted from this in my e-mails, but now I can no longer find it on the site.
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post #29 of 114
10/27/04 at 3:22am
and will be patient and non-panicked until I have the disc in hand or read an actual review by someone who's actually seen it.


If/when you have the disc in hand it will be far too late; Universal has your dollars and by implication you have given the thumbs up for a non-OAR release (should the worst come to the worst of course ). Don't buy it; wait for a review.

At the risk of becoming a bore, I'll reiterate; there is absolutely nothing wrong in telling Univeral now, poiltely but firmly, that we don't want movies released in the incorrect aspect ratio, that we won't buy them.

If the website is incorrect, all well and good; at the very least someone at Universal will get a kick up the arse for putting out misleading information and situations like this won't arise again.

Sorry for sounding like a stuck record chaps...
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post #30 of 114
10/27/04 at 4:34am
It is definitely worthwhile to send complaints to Universal. On their TV front, one of their execs recently mentioned in an article that they had listened to fans regarding sound issues on the release of Miami Vice to DVD (I believe it was regarding whether 5.1 would be used). If they listen on their TV releases, hopefully they will listen to fans regarding their movie releases as well!
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