Woodstock Review makes me wonder (1 Viewer)

[Peter Neski]

Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music Director's Cut (Blu-ray) : DVD Talk Review of the Blu-ray

From reading this review I have a lot of Questions:Like why are they
useing a 70mm print instead of making a new one from the Orig negative.

The Woodstock Diaries (lasers,dvd,and Tape) always looked much better
than the Directors cut,almost like they used sources closer to the Original
These of course included different angles,different edits,and were 1:33

They also included a bunch of fine clips not on the Directors cut,along
with the warner video woodstock Lost Preformances we got a lot
more of the concert.including the Band,More CSN ect

It also looks like this new set won't include some of this stuff,like the Band

But has new stuff never seen before,so its not a let down

 

[Robert Harris]

Not a clue what the reviewer was discussing. AFAIK, all of the elements were optically duped to 35mm anamorphic. Many of the original dye transfer prints were 4-track magnetic, while some 70mm blow-ups were created.

 

[Brian Husar]

..From what I heard in the press release The Band is suppose to be in the extras. If I am correct, according to that review they keep it in the 2.20 (should be 2.35 but nevermind), framing so the single, double, and triple panal screen images are kept in the original screen ratio, unlike the "floating matte" version that has been out there. I always hated in the 89 "letterboxed" video version, and the 2004 versions, the apect ration changing, as that was not how it was shown in the theaters.

 

[Brian Husar]

I also eagerly await RAH's review of it. In fact I am more excited about this release than Ghostbuster's. Woodstock was the first film I saw that excited me. I saw it in fifth grade on WTTW channel 11 (Chicago's PBS station), my mother told me about it because she knew I loved music and music from the 60's. I knew of Woodstock, the festival, and also the movie. I loved the multiscreen images, and all of that handheld work. I got the horrible "pan and scan" edition on video for Christmas in 87 (I wondered why I could not see the multiscreen images like on PBS). Rebought it myself in 92 and it was letterboxed. And seeing the 25th anniversary edition on the big screen was just as important to me as seeing Lawrence in 70mm. Hope to see your review soon.

 

[Robert Harris]

I have yet to get around to writing this up, but in short, the film looks and sounds superb. No technical problems here.

RAH

 

[Brian Husar]

Thanks for that. I am now more anxous for next Tuesday. Counting down the days.

 

[Paul Borges]

Band footage is not on the new set. They couldn't get the clearance, though Warner did try.

Read this thread for more info on the set. Member BRush helped put the set together and has a lot of info.

Woodstock Directors Cut for Blu-Ray - SH Forums

 

[Peter Neski]

"Read this thread for more info on the set. Member BRush helped put the set together and has a lot of info."


From BRush
"I think there is another 3 to 4 hours of great footage left between The Band, CSN, Janis, Sly, John Sebastian, Richie Havens, Joan Baez, Arlo, CCR, Johnny Winter, a few choice nuggets from Lost Performances: "Lets Go Get Stoned", "Strawberry Fields Forever", Marakesh Express", "Blackbird", "We Shall Overcome", "Darling Be Home Soon", "Somebody to Love", and maybe a song each from Tim Hardin, Bert Sommers, Melanie, Incredible String Band, BST... Unfortunately due to licensing and other problems we weren't able to clear it this time. We tried not to put any filler in the new DVD, all of the songs are top notch and I think most of it rivals anything in the original feature."

Thanks ,but this is not good news
that they couldn't add a lot of these clips(Many on The Woodstock Diaries)


Theres even a More CSNY from woodstock on The Neil Young Box,how can this new set even be anywhere complete

 

[Jesse Blacklow]

So? Warner tried to work it out and couldn't do it. You can't blame anyone but the artists and/or rights-holders for that.

 

[Peter Neski]

I don't know who too blame,maybe they spent there lot on the Creedence
and Dead stuff,maybe they refused to spend the money,I don't know
whos to blame ,but this set is clearly not the set I hoped for,good as it
seems
How can the producers of the "Woodstock Diaries "able to include these
Preformances ??

there were all these "Other" groups that never showed up in the original film,I loved seeing all these
groups and its a real shame people won't be able to see Bert Sommers,or bigger groups like The Band
which look fine,
Its clear theres at least four more CSN&Y video preformances not included in this set

 

[Jesse Blacklow]

They clearly mention what they tried to do, and "refusing to spend the money" wasn't it.

Frankly, I don't know what set you were hoping for, seeing as how Woodstock Diaries was a different film entirely, a non-US production released from a different distributor, which at best would have meant that Warner would have had to buy the rights to an entire other production, not just the footage.

I know you want these other performances, but you have to remember that Woodstock and Woodstock Diaries are 2 entirely separate films with producers and directors and editors, not some random collections of footage. You're saying that the problem with the release is that it isn't, well, another release. That seems kind of ridiculous, as if one was blaming Universal for releasing The Last Temptation of Christ without completely taking the rights to The Passion of the Christ from Fox et al.

 

[Peter Neski]

"Frankly, I don't know what set you were hoping for, seeing as how Woodstock Diaries was a different film entirely"

Well ins't the Original footage used in The Woodstock Diaries owned by
Warner,Ins't it shot by the same people?,I know theres new interview
footage in those Programs ,but isn't most of the footage from unused
footage in the film,some is even the same,some are different angles

The WD Santana's clip, has part of the drum solo cut,and the guitar
solo uncut.

Yes I understand that other then first showing it on american tv,the films
came out only in Japan on laser first,then after a few years Japanese dvds
came out and finally a UK dvd

Music rights are the problem for sure,sad that this new set can't include
so much good extra stuff.Criteron was able to do it on their Moneray
set,and I think the best stuff is on that extra dvd,


I would have prefferd paying the 80.00 or more for a set that included
this footage instead of all that junk in a big box,

 

[Jesse Blacklow]

I don't know where you're coming up with $80+, seeing as how the Blu-ray MSRP is $70 and retail is under $50, which means that the set only $10 more than its DVD counterpart (or $7 more at Amazon). I consider that a sweet deal.

In the end, my point is that it's unreasonable to expect that 40-year-old footage from a separate production with a separate director owned by a competitor should be on a release. You're certainly not being denied anything by Warner, who by all indications went above and beyond in their attempts to secure footage in a good-faith effort. There's nothing to be disappointed in as far as I can tell.

 

[Peter Neski]

"I don't know where you're coming up with $80+, seeing as how the Blu-ray MSRP is $70 and retail is under $50, which means that the set only $10 more than its DVD counterpart (or $7 more at Amazon). I consider that a sweet deal."

I never know what price to give the list price or the web price
warner always has the best prices,if they don't own that footage
thats different ,but isn't Wadleigh responsible for most of the Original footage
considering some is the same ,they would have had to used some of
warner owned footage for those shows(WD)

"In the end, my point is that it's unreasonable to expect that 40-year-old footage from a separate production with a separate director owned by a competitor should be on a release. "

Warner released a lot of this footage(and more like Blood Sweat and Tears)
which wasn't in the woodstock Diaires in their own Lost preformances
video. Be it in non remastered form ,How do explain that?


But when I saw the Dead and Creedence where
going to be included,I couldn't understand why other footage like
the other Sly and the Family stone footage(again must be Wadleighs)
not included,how much does Bert Summers Cost?

"You're certainly not being denied anything by Warner, who by all indications went above and beyond in their attempts to secure footage in a good-faith effort. "

I don't know about that,If I think of the saying... Good, Better ,Best

this set is clearly "better"

 

[Brian Husar]

Wasn't Woodstock Diaries directed by D.A. Pennebaker? I thought it was because he was also promised he could make a film on the event (I heard something like that).

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Peter,
How do you know it's the same footage? We're dealing with two different directors with two different crews. Granted, some footage may be from similar angles and contain the same content (meaning the performances), but that doesn't mean it's the same footage. As for why the Sly and the Family Stone footage isn't included, that depends on two factors:
(1) Whether or not Wadleigh captured the performance (going back to the whole 2 directors, 2 crews situation); and
(2) We don't know how much Bert Summers, or whoever controls the performance rights, was asking for the footage.

We only get to factor 2 once factor 1 has been answered. You say it must be Wadleigh's, but based on what?

 

[Mike Frezon]

I don't know if this muddies the waters any...but thought I'd pass it along.

As I was researching next week's Weekly RoundUp, I cam across this nugget: Amazon.com is offering up an EXCLUSIVE bonus disc with its copies of both the SD and BD of the Ultimate Collector Editions of Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music:

 

[Mike Frezon]

Muddy waters it is.

Target is also advertising EXCLUSIVE CONTENT in their Woodstock UCEs:


Looks like Target also has exclusive packaging with a cylindrical container topped by a tambourine.

 

[Peter Neski]

"Peter,
How do you know it's the same footage? "

Again a lot of these preformaces were on the Lost Preformance Video
first,a warner video
they aren't on new set!!

So who ever shot them,they(warners) released them allready,be it in
fuzzy form ,

"We're dealing with two different directors with two different crews. for why the Sly and the Family Stone footage isn't included, "

Wadleigh is given credit at the end of The Woodstock Diaries


(2) We don't know how much Bert Summers, or whoever controls the performance rights, was asking for the footage.

again in WD,not released as home video here in US ,so that could
be a large part of it

 

[Jesse Blacklow]

Well, yes, obviously.

And at the risk of repeating myself, why get upset about something that was never promised nor necessarily feasible in the first place? I feel like we're losing sight of the fact that this release is for Woodstock the actual movie (including directors and editors) as it existed almost 40 years ago, not a collection of footage.