Universal releasing Non-OAR dvds including "The Forbin Project, "Charley Varrick" (1 Viewer)

[Jay E]

The next batch of Universal Selections are all Anamorphic Widescreen according to DVDANSWERS:

Universal has today announced the March Studio Selections. Available from the 1st March next year will be the Joel Schumacher directed D.C. Cab which stars Mr. T and Adam Baldwin, Ghost Dad which stars Bill Cosby and Denise Nicholas, Paradise Alley which stars Sylvester Stallone and Kevin Conway, White Palace with Susan Sarandon and James Spader, and finally the John Schlesinger directed Yanks which stars Richard Gere alongside Vanessa Redgrave. Each of the titles will be presented in anamorphic widescreen along with an English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo track. As with all the other Studio Selections, no artwork will be included. We'll bring you the official artwork for these titles shortly.

This might give me more reason to believe that they have posted incorrect info on their website because if they're going to release mediocre films like this in Anamorphic widescreen, I can't see them releasing such gems as Charley Varrick & Colossus:The Forbin Project in full frame.

 

[John Sparks]

I emailed them last week about that and no response...I tried.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

I can see any studio releasing anything. I've seen too much weird stuff happen!

Somewhere along their line of employees, one of them should be, at the least, chewed out for putting up FS info if it isn't true - or vice-versa.

Glenn

 

[WilliamG]

... as did I, with the same results .... NO RESPONSE.:frowning:

 

[Nick Eden]

I e-mailed them too about 10 days ago- again NO RESPONSE!!!!

 

[Jeff_HR]

I'm taking a wait & see position. If "The Forbin Project" is released in Full frame, I'll simply keep My $$$ & keeping watching my Widescreen Laserdisc.

 

[Jay E]

Well Colossus:The Forbin Project shipped out to me today. I should know in a few days whether Universal dropped the ball or not.

 

[Jeff_HR]

Please let us know Jay. Thanks!

 

[John Stell]

I received the Colossus DVD today and am very sad to report it is indeed full frame, with English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono.:frowning:

 

[John Hodson]

Open matte or pan & scan John?

 

[John Stell]

I'm not sure since I haven't watched it yet and the case description doesn't give that info. I'll try to watch it shortly and report back if someone doesn't beat me to the punch.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Since Colossus was Panavision theatrically, this is definitely a pan-and-scan abomination.

 

[Bradley-E]

There goes the thoughts about the Universal website not being correct. This sucks, and means that Iceman (another Scope film) also will really be FULL FRAME! Thanks for NOTHING Univer$al.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

Good to know, saved some bucks.

 

[AndrewWickliffe]

I guess it's time to starting holding out hope for Rs 2 and 4...

 

[John Hodson]

Doh! It's Charley Varrick that could be open matte isn't it? I'm beginning to hate Universal with an almost unnatural passion...

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Outrageous. Unbelievable. Disgusting.

COLOSSUS is not a film I'm interested in personally, but it doesn't change the anger I have at Universal for this. It's
a problem that ought to be nipped in the bud with vocal protests before it becomes a new pattern.

 

[Dick]

They can issue a 1.85:1 special edition of AMAZON WOMEN ON THE MOON, but a genuine sci-fi classic like COLOSSUS or ICEMAN we get in pan and scan. I thought Universal was beginning to show signs of improvement with their Legacy sets. This throws them back into the DVD abyss they have occupied for too many years. NO SALE, UNIVERSAL... if you're reading this (which I doubt), you shot yourselves in the foot yet again.

 

[AndrewWickliffe]

I believe, but am unsure, that the next wave of these Studio Classic, or whatever they're called, titles will be OAR. Apparently, more people wanted a letterboxed Sunset Park than Colossus.

Again, I'm not totally sure, but I remember reading about it.

So, they did learn, just too late. And they're not doing anything to correct the existing problem...

 

[Bill Huelbig]

If I remember right from TV viewings, the pan & scan version of COLOSSUS had many shots displayed with an anamorphic squeeze - before Colossus is given a voice, its thoughts appear only on a wide display screen and the words wouldn't fit in a pan & scanned image without the squeeze. Of all the movies that really cried out for a widescreen transfer, this was one of the essential ones. Thanks a lot, Universal.