1776 - Director's Cut coming on July 2nd. (1 Viewer)

[Jay E]

I just saw at DeepdiscountDVD that 1776 - The director's cut is coming out on July 2nd for $29.95 retail. I know that there are a few people at this forum who are looking forward to seeing this on DVD so I thought I'd post this. Hopefully Columbia will do it right and not release it full frame.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Thanks for the update! My wife will be very pleased that she can spend the 4th of July with her favorite musical.

 

[BarryR]

 

[Eric Paddon]

Now that that date's set, I'll be setting it aside to watch the untampered version of the movie on laser disc, and spending the money that would have gone toward that DVD on something else.

I don't say that to stir up trouble. It just simply reflects how I (and many others) remain very angry over what's been done to this movie.

 

[Greg_M]

So when's the film opening in select Theaters?

 

[Bill Huelbig]

So when's the film opening in select Theaters?

According to the very reliable Film Release Schedule Page:
Link Removed
... it isn't. Sure would be a good idea, though.
--Bill

 

[Patrick McCart]

1776 was filmed in Panavision and Columbia has obviously restored the film, so the chances of it being pan & scan only is very unlikely.
Plus, the fact that Peter Hunt was involved with the restoration and the DVD production adds to the coolness factor. I'm definately getting this DVD.

 

[ScottR]

I can't wait for this DVD!!!!!

 

[StephenK]

1776 (Spec Ed) Laser Disc is the only reason that I keep my LD player still connected.

Can't wait for this to hit the shelves.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I am one of the biggest fans of 1776
in existence.
With that said, I may buy the DVD, but I
will never watch it.
The LASERDISC edition is the only version
I will watch.

 

[Doug Bull]

While I support Eric and Ron on this issue, let's hope that this thread is not allowed to slide into the mud slinging mess that happened last time this DVD was discussed.

I say let's wait and see what Columbia serves up.

While it might alienate a few of us purists, it no doubt will give pleasure to many others and maybe even find a new audience who have never seen the film.

Like Eric and Ron, I still have my Laserdisc to fall back on, if the worst comes to the worst.

 

[BarryR]

If you want to talk crimes against a film (this 1776 flap though doesn't bother me--I think I can live with the new edition); in 1974 Paramount released THE GREAT GATSBY with Robert Redford; okay, so maybe it isn't an eagerly awaited classic on DVD like 1776, but the VHS edition of GATSBY has an atrocious substitute musical score that TOTALLY wrecks the movie (thanks to Paramount refusing to pay royalties on the music re VHS edition). However, the TV broadcasts and the first (but not the second) laser edition retain the original soundtrack. The more commonly available VHS edition is an outrageously deceptive shadow of the original film (despite a disclaimer that says "some" music has been altered--well, more like 98%!). Now that to me is wholesale slaughter of a movie, and if there's ever a DVD of this release it better have the original musical score reinstated!

 

[Eric Paddon]

I can give my assurance that there will be no mud thrown on my part at anyone because since the sad reality of the situation is that its a lost war from my standpoint. Like Ron, I may allow for having a copy of the DVD on my shelf if someone else paid for it or gave it to me as a gift, but the only thing I will stomach watching is the supplement to validate my firm belief that "Piddle, Twiddle and Resolve" will not be presented in a complete version, contrary to any previous claims made otherwise. Only the entire unedited number from "Sit Down John" through "Till Then", which is a seamless number of almost non-stop singing and music constitutes a complete version from the standpoint of most "1776" diehards (recall that in the supplement for "Gypsy" with the Karl Malden singing on "You'll Never Get Away From Me", Warner had the decency to give us the complete number and not just the outtake).

 

[MatthewA]

But how much of the previously excised footage WILL be restored to the film?

 

[David Williams]

But how much of the previously excised footage WILL be restored to the film?

DDD is listing the running time as 166 minutes. The theatrical version is 142 minutes, a difference of 24 minutes. The question is whats in the 24 minutes?

t's my favorite all-time film and I have been awaiting it since it was announced at Studio Day 2000. I have never seen the Laserdisc version and I have been eagerly anticipating it, if only to see it for the first time in Widescreen (once I figured out what I've been missing it's so hard to watch the P&S vhs copy... there are no conversations in it, just faces talking to other faces offscreen).

 

[Eric Paddon]

If that's the DVD running time then that means upwards of 14 minutes from the LD is gone and that means considerably more than just the Overture/Entr'acte and the rest of "Piddle, Twiddle And Resolve" has been hacked out.

 

[Moe Dickstein]

The laserdisc is actually less than 180 minutes, more like 176 or so.

If you take out the overture, entr'acte which were created for the laserdisc in 1991, and piddle twiddle, youre at 10 minutes right there, which gives you 166.

I can't confirm this date yet, but will let you all know when I can

 

[Jo_C]

Well,

Just read the "official" news that 1776 will be released on DVD in a new 166-minute "director's cut" and nothing more (basically a movie-only release).

And that means you guys start hunting on eBay for the "uncut" LaserDisc. It will be the only true version of the film you'll find.

Don't be suprised if the LD goes up in value in the forseeable future.

 

[David Williams]

Just read the "official" news that 1776 will be released on DVD in a new 166-minute "director's cut" and nothing more (basically a movie-only release)

I don't know where that was posted, but DVD File listed the specs this afternoon, and it's a modest special edition:
Arriving on 7/2 in an all-new Director's Cut, the disc features a new 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, English Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track, audio commentary with Hunt and screenwriter Philip Stone, filmographies, production notes and the trailer. Retail is $29.95.

 

[Eric Paddon]

A commentary track in which I suppose Hunt will now be contradicting everything he said on the LD commentary track. Frankly, I have no desire to hear him suddenly trash the LD cut, which I have a feeling he's going to do. Beyond that, there is no information about the show he can offer that wasn't already brought out by Joe Caps on the LD commentary.

Looking further at that list of features, I notice there is nothing about supplements of a "complete" Piddle as had been assured to us many times before.

It seems as though every time there is new news about this, the end result is to always raise the temperature of my blood all over again at the hatchet job that's been done on this magnificent title.