The Front 2/17? Full Frame? (1 Viewer)

[Paul_Scott]

amazon has a listing for Front from Columbia with a 2/17 street date and a designation for Full Frame- no cast list or release date tho, but i'm assuming this would be the Woody Allen blacklist movie.
good news if it is, bad news if it is yet another in Columbias pathetic parade of MAR.

 

[Matthew Watson]

Oh, for crying out loud. I've been waiting for this one, but...

Look, Columbia, don't bother putting the disc out if it's MARred, ok? Woody Allen + Zero Mostel + comedy/drama about the Blacklist does not equal WalMart, ok? License this film out to a company that understands the market for it, and quit wasting your (and our) time.

Dangit.

 

[BruceKimmel]

How many threads like this do we have to have? I don't mean to be short, but why don't you just wait until there's a press release? Amazon and other websites usually have incorrect information like this - there are currently about three other threads with incorrect information from amazon - everyone gets so bent out of shape before they have one solid shred of real information. Just wait. I would bet you money right now that it will be in its proper ratio. Any amount of money you'd like. Seriously, I said it in another thread - these rush to judgments get everyone worked up for no reason. Just wait until the official press release.

 

[Tony Stark]

If I want to wait for every press release then I would just pick up USAToday. Part of the fun of HTF is speculation - right or wrong as rumors may be.

 

[Paul_Scott]

DVDPlanet is giving the specs as Full Frame and anamorphic widescreen.

we'll see.

 

[Mark Bendiksen]

Seriously, I said it in another thread - these rush to judgments get everyone worked up for no reason.

Well, in Paul's defense this thread is different than the other one to which I think you are referring. The other thread involved concern that Warner would release Days of Wine and Roses in a computer-colorized form. Most of us realize that given Warner's awesome recent track record with DVD transfers this seems highly unlikely, especially since that film has never been colorized.

However...Columbia is another matter.

Although I certainly don't think we should jump the gun and rush to judgement, given their recent history I think it's reasonable to be cautious about the aspect ratios of their catalog releases.

 

[BruceKimmel]

Oh, I don't know - there track record seems to be pretty darn good - about ninety percent OAR- of course it should all be OAR, but it's better than fifty-fifty.

 

[BruceKimmel]

Well, shiver me timbers - the Columbia specs are... wait for it... anamorphic widescreen. Oops.

 

[Paul_Scott]

Seriously, I said it in another thread - these rush to judgments get everyone worked up for no reason. Just wait until the official press release.

Bruce, i didn't start the thread to denounce Columbia over what might be a full frame release (although i would have eventually if columbias official press release indicated that was the case).
i started it because i saw a listing on Amazon for a film called "Front" with no yr of release nor cast list given.
i was hoping to bring this to the attention of the more 'in the know' here so that they could verify if this was indeed the Woody Allen movie.
i just passed along the spec on Amazon that listed only full frame.

i'm glad to hear it will be an OAR release- Columbia is no longer consistent on this point- and i'm glad to hear its coming out- its a great film that alot of people would enjoy if they've never seen/heard of it before.

 

[BruceKimmel]

Paul, I totally agree - it's a really good movie. I guess my entire point, for whatever it's worth, is that amazon and these other sites are so wrong so often that it isn't even worth looking at them until there's a press release or some kind of official announcement. And these types of errors are usually greeted with "damn Columbia" (not from you, but from others in a variety of threads here) before there is any reason to damn Columbia. As I've said before, there seems to be no rhyme or reason for what they do, but ninety percent of what they release is OAR, and while that's not perfect, it's not a horrorshow either.

 

[Matthew Watson]

Columbia is no longer consistent on this point

Which is why I knee-jerked at the possiblity of a fullframe release of the Front. I can think of nearly a dozen "smaller" films I'd own right now if they were avaialable OAR (Miracle Mile, The Missionary, and, speaking of Woody Allen, New York Stories, to name a few). I know that both MGM and Columbia have not been consistant, which is the perfect word for it, in this department.

And I did say "if" in my first post, fwiw.

Now then... very pleased to hear that the Front will be worth the wait. I look forward to buying it.

 

[Paul_Scott]

i bit the bullet on the price tag for this one ($24 at Borders) and picked this up last night.
i can't believe people in other threads are criticizing Warners pricing structure.


but in some cases, the film is good enough to warrant laying down the money, and i think The Front is fine film.
one o my favorite Woody Allen movies, even though it technically isn't a WA film.
it also sports a heart breaking performance from Zero Mostel.
i noticed a review on Digitally Obsessed gave it pretty mediocre marks for a/v quality, but i was pleasantly surprised.
much like Columbias disc for The Swimmer, the disc is sharp, and mostly vivid. the close-ups look great and only a few speckles here and there and some wacky color balances in a couple scenes are the only negatives i could spot.
i wish it had a lower price point.
or even more,i wish they had actually thrown some extra content to elaborate the situation the film is about (the hollywood blacklist).
its a shame that Columbia doesn't have a deal with Criterion as they would have certainly hit this one out of the park.

kind of interesting since the last time i watched the film must surely have been pre 9/11.
it plays differently now.
very relevant...i just hope history doesn't repeat itself, but i have a feeling it will.