Any news / reviews for V: The Final Battle ? (1 Viewer)

[CamiloCamacho]

I noticed there are only 4 weeks before it's release (acording to DVDEmpire) but i haven't seen any reviews or comments of this title.

I find this not very common., as the first "V" was very succesful (acording warner, in one of the latest chats on the forum)

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Warner titles are typically reviewed fairly close to street date

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

The first reviews of V, didn't appear to what, two to three weeks prior to street date?
I just hope for a nice anamorphic transfer and Dolby Surround as we're only getting that and nothing else (unlike V where we got a documentary and audio commentary).

 

[David Lambert]

I can verify what everyone else is saying: it's too early for reviews yet!
If it's news you want, though, as in "what are the details of this release?", then check here. It's extremely accurate.
This will be a bare-bones release, in widescreen (anamorphic) and in it's original mono soundtrack. No extras, unless you want to counts LOTS of subtitles in different languages!
But I will enjoy having it!

 

[Michael Sliger]

I took a look at Episode 1 of this set and just have to say that I am disappointed that Warner decided to crop this mini-series to 16x9. It seems that the rumors floating around that this show was shot widescreen-safe for viewing in European theaters (like the first mini-series was) were wrong. Most of the shots look fine, but there are fair number which are severely harmed by this processing.

1. Many of the closeups of people's faces have chins dropping out of frame.

2. In the horseback riding sequences, sometimes you can barely see the horse. This of course makes the sequence look very weird.

3. Also during this scene, when Donovan give Kristine the key to the Mothership, you can't see Donovan's arm holding the key in one camera angle.


4. Some shots of TV monitors have the bottom of the monitor omitted.

There are more examples that don't cross my mind right now(and I haven't watched the last two episodes yet). I find this stuff very distracting and it really keeps me from enjoying the disks. I would assume that most people wouldn't notice the problems, but those of us that are hypersensitive to cropping my want to skip this release.

I also have to add that making the second disk a DVD-10 with one side blank is just bizarre. The only reason for this seems to be to "enhance" the artwork below the disks (which I find very tacky). I hope Warner uses this release as an example of what not to do in the future.

 

[Steve Phillips]

I was afraid that the matting would be a problem. This is getting to be a sore point with me. Let people with 16X9 TVs (and I am one of them) crop the discs using their set if they don't want to see Televsion material in its OAR.

To those of you who say "it's fine; it doesn't bother me", "I don't notice anything missing"....isn't that what lots of Walmart shoppers say about their beloved panned and scanned DVDs?

How is this any different?

And Warner: DO NOT CROP THE UPCOMING V TV SERIES SET FOR A FAKE WIDESCREEN EFFECT!!!!

OAR!!!!

 

[TheBat]

I don;t have a widescreen tv.. I was able to get an early copy of the movie to review for my site. I have a website on an actress who appeared in V: the final battle.
JACOB
www.sarah-douglas.com

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Steve, I believe Kenneth Johnson that V was framed for 1.85:1 foreign exhibition

However, I doubt Final Battle was
I personally doubt that Warner will crop the TV series

 

[Haden]

Where has it been confirmed that V: The Series will be released on DVD? If you are just *assuming* it will because the 2 miniseries were released, then that's a big assumption. The tv series was never released on VHS video. Warners isn't exactly big on releasing old tv series on DVD (at least until recently), and I doubt the 19-episode V:The Series which was cancelled in its first season is high on their priority list of television shows to put on DVD. I'll be genuinely shocked if we ever get this on DVD.

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

I'll be genuinely shocked if we ever get this on DVD.

Be shocked cause it might happen.
Warner knows there is a demand for V: The Series just like there was a demand for V: The Final Battle. Originally Warner was not going to release V: The Final Battle, but sales for the original miniseries passed Warner's expectations (big time I will say), that's how V: The Final Battle got it's DVD release today.
Now, if V: The Final Battle sells just as good as V, I wouldn't be shocked if Warner puts out V: The Series next year.

 

[John Berggren]

****************DPost

 

[John Berggren]

I'll buy the series in a heartbeat!

I've seen at least one other review that indicates the 16x9 framing seems natural. I've also seen reviews that suggest the framing on V: The Beginning does not look right (though we know firsthand, that's how it was filmed). I'll be picking this one up, and I'll post my thoughts on it eventually (after I watch FotR and V: The Beginning (again)).

 

[John Sullmeyer]

Can anyone that has the original VHS or Laserdisc version post some screenshots so we can see the actuall cropping? I would be very surprised if Warner Bros. decided to screw this one up.

 

[Steve Phillips]

The original mini series wasn't too bad with the cropping since they kind of had it in mind when it was produced. However, on the second one this likely wasn't the case. They should have left well enough alone.

Lots of TV series are being cropped or tilt and scanned for HDTV masters. This is being done to CHEERS and HOGAN'S HEROES already. I just think that at least for DVD, we should get the OAR. Don't think widespread cropping can't happen. MGM even released a 2:35 to 1 version of GONE WITH THE WIND to theatres in 1967! All reports were it was horrible as the film was shot in square academy 1:37 to 1 ratio. I just think OAR is OAR, and TV series should be presented in the OAR no matter what.

Don't be surprised to see V the series on DVD. As already stated, sales for the first disc were much higher than Warner expected. Also, the entire series WAS released on tape and laser in many overseas markets and was successful. I'm not assuming anything; I'm just relaying some encouraging (but not concrete) words I've had from the inside. If the second mini-series sells well, it is likely you'll see the series out within a few years.

 

[oscar_merkx]

today i just received the V the mini series and hopefully tomorrow I will get the final battle and watch it in one long sit,
yeah

 

[Yee-Ming]

hear hear Steve.
cropping a TV show to 16:9 is NOT the way to go, unless it was very specifically shot with 16:9 in mind. in the same way we hate pan-and-scan for chopping off the sides, cropping 4:3 to 16:9 is just as bad for chopping off the top and bottom. OAR all the way...
despite Johnson's assertions, IMHO V should have been left alone in 4:3. the framing in 16:9 often seems forced, and often there's
I wonder if new TV series being broadcast in 16:9 were actually shot that way, or with both in mind and then cropped. nowadays when I watch ER, which is broadcast in 16:9, I always get the impression that it was cropped, as the headroom is much less or non-existent, chins get "clipped" etc.
in contrast, Angel season 3 was definitly shot in 16:9 and broadcast here panned-and-scanned, with the usual problems

 

[Emil Stoica]

Warner if you are looking at this thread...

Please release the series. Warts and all, it is a blast. It would be nice to see it without the Japanese subtitles (from the LD).

 

[CamiloCamacho]

The mini-series was originally broadcast in a 1.33:1 standard TV ratio, but the good folks at Warner have made this into a 1.85:1 anamorphic ratio. I did manage to secure a copy of the old VHS version and with a little help, did an A/B comparison. While the image does lose a little on the top and bottom, the additional scenes to the sides more than make up for it.

So this was cut in it's original presentation. The review comes from
dvdauthority.com

 

[DavidEC]

quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The mini-series was originally broadcast in a 1.33:1 standard TV ratio, but the good folks at Warner have made this into a 1.85:1 anamorphic ratio. I did manage to secure a copy of the old VHS version and with a little help, did an A/B comparison. While the image does lose a little on the top and bottom, the additional scenes to the sides more than make up for it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The above statement does not make any since to me.. if they crop-ed the top and bottom of a 1.33:1 image how can they of added anything to the sides??

On the original 'V' DVD it was stated that the mini-series were shot in wide screen.

--David

 

[oscar_merkx]

Just to get back to the Miniseries, before interrupting the thread here.

just watched the behind the doc on V the mini series and was very cheesy indeed, plus watched part of the first 40 minutes or so, really weird to see Robert Englund as Willie, he is so different when playing Freddy Kreuger.