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New Kubrick SE's - Page 7

post #181 of 397
10/15/07 at 6:01pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

The new Kubrick DVDs are just a week away. I'm surprised that the conversation has died down. I'm most excited about getting A Clockwork Orange. I used to have the old DVD (the old, old one. Not the remastered one). I haven't seen the movie in a long time so I'm really looking forward to watching it. I will probably get Eyes Wide Shut too though I don't suspect there's much difference between the US version and the international version. However that old DVD certainly needed a new transfer. Not sure if I'm willing to double dip on the rest. I'll wait for reviews.

So The Shining, Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut are going to be widescreen. This could either be a good or bad thing. It just says "widescreen". It doesn't say 1.85:1 or 1.66:1 or what so I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I personally think those 3 films look great at 1.37:1. I know the Kubrick aspect ratio controversy will never end.
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post #182 of 397
10/15/07 at 7:17pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

I think there's no conversation because there aren't any reviews! Still waiting on review copies here...
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post #183 of 397
10/15/07 at 7:31pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

I can't wait for these. Especially Eyes Wide Shut. I only have Strangelove, 2001 and Lyndon, so far, so I'm planning on purchasing all of these SEs. Throw in Criterion's Days of Heaven on the same day and it's going to be pure DVD bliss!
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post #184 of 397
10/16/07 at 6:33am

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Quote:
Originally Posted by BarryS
I know the Kubrick aspect ratio controversy will never end.

Probably not, but at least now we'll be able to choose which version to watch in the comfort of our home theaters.

I'm really curious to see how Eyes Wide Shut looks. I remember seeing that they day it came out in theaters and absolutely loving the way Kubrick prominently used the film grain in his compositions. I was sorely disappointed when the DVD came out and looked so smooth, it just didn't quite have the same look or feel as the film I originally saw. I'm wondering (hoping) that that might have been fixed this time around. We'll see!
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post #185 of 397
10/16/07 at 11:38am

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Review of 2001 at DVD Beaver...sounds fantastic!:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReview/2001.htm
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post #186 of 397
10/16/07 at 1:52pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay E
Review of 2001 at DVD Beaver...looks fantastic

Fixed.
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post #187 of 397
10/16/07 at 6:39pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

I can't wait to get my hands on the unrated edition of Eyes wide shut and the 2001 2-disc special edition. The dvd beaver caps look quite tantalizing.
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post #188 of 397
10/18/07 at 2:38pm
Thread Starter 

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Having started this thread many moons ago... feeling the excitement from DVDbeavers reviews... am actually in a bind!

I have just jumped on board the blu-ray bandwagon and I am desparate for these new BD releases to be All Region. No news of them in the UK in either
SD or BD, so it's a bit frustrating... specially as I cut a deal on my original Kubrick set a few months back and haven't got any of these movies at the mo.

If anyone can enlighten me on the BD all region thing that would be great, if not, the SD set is going to have to do!

Did anyone ever find out with Barry Lyndon hasn't been remastered and given the SE treatment... seems almost criminal, it's ignorance.
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post #189 of 397
10/18/07 at 7:52pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Quote:
I have just jumped on board the blu-ray bandwagon and I am desparate for these new BD releases to be All Region. No news of them in the UK in either
SD or BD, so it's a bit frustrating... specially as I cut a deal on my original Kubrick set a few months back and haven't got any of these movies at the mo.

If you are outside the U.S. you would've been better off with HD-DVD as the format has no region encoding.
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post #190 of 397
10/18/07 at 11:31pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

The new shining framing looks much better now IMHO.


old dvd





and new WS version






old dvd






and new WS dvd

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post #191 of 397
10/19/07 at 12:55am
Thread Starter 

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike_Richardson
If you are outside the U.S. you would've been better off with HD-DVD as the format has no region encoding.

I know this issue belongs in another thread, but the profile and visibilty of HD-DVD is virtually non existent in the UK - blu-ray is everywhere. Yeah, there are HD-DVD titles on the shelves, but people I speak to talk only of Blu-ray.

In regards to the Kubrick set, well, if the new additions on Blu-ray aren't all region, then I'll just plum for the SD set.
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post #192 of 397
10/19/07 at 1:01am

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Mack
The new shining framing looks much better now IMHO.


Exactly. And to think of the grief I was given over this by Richard Kim and Patrick McCart back in 2003.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick McCart
The Shining may be acceptible [sic] in 1.78:1, but it still looks poorly composed. Poorly composed shots in a Kubrick film don't exist (although someone will probably argue that.)

We, the HTF, are obligated to defend OAR for films. OAR isn't just getting the right aspect ratio, but the intended ratio.

If you look now at the thread, Patrick has edited his posts (4+ years after) so that no trace remains of how he pulled seniority to stonewall me - and not being man enough to admit that for once the veteran was wrong and the newbie was right.
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post #193 of 397
10/19/07 at 3:17am

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Yep.
The OAR was 1:85-1.
The 4x3 being his "preferred AR" thing came about because he was horrified when he saw how 2001 was butchered on TV, panned and scanned.
Kubrick "protected" for 4x3 but told his DP and 2nd unit director to compose for 16x9.



there is a book called "The stanley kubrick archives where...


From The Stanley Kubrick Archives, page 452:



Note the faded red marker frame labeled "1-1.85", and the indication top right:

THE FRAME IS EXACTLY 1-1.85
Obviously you compose for that
but protect the full 1-1.33 area..."

From Kubrick's own words.
yep...

I guess we will all have to suffer with the poorly composed shots in the new discs...

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post #194 of 397
10/19/07 at 5:43am

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Mack
The new shining framing looks much better now IMHO.
It surely does. The balance and symmetry is restored to Stanley Kubrick's compositions. At first glance the remastered image is better, too. I eagerly await this box set.

It's a shame Kubrick did not shoot THE SHINING in 3-D. It's the most visually perfect 3-D movie never made.
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post #195 of 397
10/19/07 at 6:38am

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Quote:
there is a book called "The stanley kubrick archives where...

Yeah, I should know. I took that picture. (The book is too big for any consumer grade scanner)
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post #196 of 397
10/19/07 at 6:57am

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Quote:
Originally Posted by Juan C
Exactly. And to think of the grief I was given over this by Richard Kim and Patrick McCart back in 2003.



If you look now at the thread, Patrick has edited his posts (4+ years after) so that no trace remains of how he pulled seniority to stonewall me - and not being man enough to admit that for once the veteran was wrong and the newbie was right.


Hey, if it helps... I can admit that I was wrong. If you look at the thread for the anamorphic Dr. Strangelove DVD, you can see that I was in support for the original theatrical ARs for the Kubrick films.

I can't wait to get the Kubrick titles in HD DVD. If the SD DVD of Barry Lyndon is anamorphic, I'll pick that one up, too.
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post #197 of 397
10/19/07 at 10:12am
Thread Starter 

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Hmmm... is this new cover art for the shining then? I like it!

http://kubrickfilms.warnerbros.com/
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post #198 of 397
10/19/07 at 11:52am

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Quote:
Originally Posted by Juan C
Exactly. And to think of the grief I was given over this by Richard Kim and Patrick McCart back in 2003.



If you look now at the thread, Patrick has edited his posts (4+ years after) so that no trace remains of how he pulled seniority to stonewall me - and not being man enough to admit that for once the veteran was wrong and the newbie was right.

Well, I apologize. It doesn't help that some wish to bump very old threads like that.
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post #199 of 397
10/19/07 at 12:13pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

For what it's worth, I'd be embarrassed to have a lot of my old posts brought up again. I occasionally like to read through some of my really old posts just for the heck of it, but a lot of them make me cringe today.

I recall a particular case, from way back when Disney and Fox released only non-anamorphic DVDs, in which I dismissed another HTFer who felt that anamorphic enhancement was more important than special features, by saying that "anamorphic enhancment is a special feature." Yikes!
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post #200 of 397
10/19/07 at 1:17pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Judging from the Kubrick website in Neil's post, in addition to some possible artwork changes (all for the better IMHO) it also looks like the scene-specific commentary on Eyes Wide Shut has been dropped. Hmm..
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post #201 of 397
10/19/07 at 1:39pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott D S
Judging from the Kubrick website in Neil's post, in addition to some possible artwork changes (all for the better IMHO) it also looks like the scene-specific commentary on Eyes Wide Shut has been dropped. Hmm..

I was looking forward to this commentary...
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post #202 of 397
10/19/07 at 5:03pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Quote:
Originally Posted by Neil_Duffy
Hmmm... is this new cover art for the shining then? I like it!

http://kubrickfilms.warnerbros.com/


What's scary is that first on Amazon and even now here on WB's site they have the running time listed at

Special Edition
Format: DVD
Runtime: 119 mins
Original Product Release Date: 10/23/2007


That would be the european cut. The American version has alwas been more like 144 minutes.

Man, if they screw this up....
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post #203 of 397
10/19/07 at 5:54pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Mack
What's scary is that forst on Amazon and even now here on WB's site they have the running time listed at

Special Edition
Format: DVD
Runtime: 119 mins
Original Product Release Date: 10/23/2007


That would be the european cut. The American version has alwas been more like 144 minutes.

Man, if they screw this up....




Dave, dvd empire is posting a 144 minute running time...and you can just barely make out the same on the back cover scan (in the bottom right corner); looks like this should be the correct, US cut.

It's fascinating Kubrick allowed two "official" versions of The Shining to exist. Would've been interesting to hear his rationale on that.

And the new caps look great. Regardless, I'm clinging to my full frame transfers...which will still--in my view--look better on smaller ,4 by 3 displays. And as long as that was okay with Kubrick...



--Jack
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post #204 of 397
10/19/07 at 6:27pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

It looks like from the DVD Beaver screencaps that there is a little cropping done on the new 2001 SE. If you look at the 2001 Warner remaster screencap then compare it right down below with the SE screencap you can see the SE looks a bit more zoomed in than the 2001 remaster does.

Just an observation. Maybe its just bad screencaps but an observation regardless.
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post #205 of 397
10/19/07 at 6:50pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack Johnson
Dave, dvd empire is posting a 144 minute running time...and you can just barely make out the same on the back cover scan (in the bottom right corner); looks like this should be the correct, US cut.

It's fascinating Kubrick allowed to "official" versions of The Shining to exist. Would've been interesting to hear his rationale on that.

And the new caps look great. Regardless, I'm clinging to my full frame transfers...which will still--in my view--look better on smaller ,4 by 3 displays. And as long as that was okay with Kubrick...



--Jack


But what's odd is that they have listed 1:66-1 as the AR and we know that's wrong from DVDbeaver's screencaps.

Yep, and whole scenes, (like the doctor visiting Danny and Wendy after his "Tony" episode in the apt.) are missing from the european cut. I'd be pissed if I were that actress!
Supposedly other scenes even employ slightly alternate takes and different lengths of shots.

http://imdb.com/title/tt0081505/alternateversions
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post #206 of 397
10/19/07 at 7:07pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Wow, the new compositions as shown at DVDBeaver are really throwing me for a loop. In an odd way, The Shining in widescreen is less scary, because all of that terrifying emptiness that the movie is famous for just disappears. It seems claustrophobic, and Kubrick frames are spacious, expansive.

My initial reaction was, I guess I should watch them before I buy them to decide which ratio I like better -- but I also hate being made to second-guess to the point of "backseat directing" my favorite movies...

My favorite Kubrick film, Barry Lyndon, seems to be the only latter-day Kubrick film to escape a severe case of OAR controversy... the difference between 1.33 and 1.66 doesn't hurt the film at all, and the film is so low-profile (relatively speaking) that no one seems to care. I wish there were a special edition of Lyndon out there for us to debate!

In the end, though, seeing that box set for around $55 online is far too tempting. I'm sold.
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post #207 of 397
10/19/07 at 8:03pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

I just watched the screencaps of Eyes Wide Shut on DVD Beaver, and was wondering why it has been removed so much more bottom than top in the new SE version?
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post #208 of 397
10/19/07 at 8:49pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Quote:
Originally Posted by cafink
For what it's worth, I'd be embarrassed to have a lot of my old posts brought up again.

Yeah, I hope no one finds the one where I said talkies would never catch on!
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post #209 of 397
10/19/07 at 9:39pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom-A
I just watched the screencaps of Eyes Wide Shut on DVD Beaver, and was wondering why it has been removed so much more bottom than top in the new SE version?

Correct 1.85:1 matting is usually off-center, with the proper area being higher up in the frame. That's at least according to STMPE specs.


I'm not going to complain too much, but I just feel that WB could have put a little more into these releases. The documentaries look good, but 2001 doesn't have the Arthur C. Clarke film (that was on MGM's crappy DVD), all of the trailers (I've seen three different ones in various places), and probably multiple commentaries. I'm let down by Eyes Wide Shut not having a commentary, even though it was listed up until now. Still, the remasters look great and I'm sure the HD editions look amazing. Maybe Kubrick's estate pressured them into limiting themselves to only certain items.
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post #210 of 397
10/19/07 at 11:12pm

Re: New Kubrick SE's

Since the theatrical OAR for this was 1:85-1, I want to see it as close to that as possible, (I believe the new discs are 1:78-1)
I don't want a modified for 4x3 TV version which is basically what the DVDs were. They were shot to "protect for 4x3" but (to quote Kubrick...) the AR is 1:85-1 so obviously you compose for that.
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