Buffy.... grr (1 Viewer)

[Lance Nichols]

Ok, I am really annoyed now. Anyone know who I have to stake to get them out of the road? I was just browsing though http://www.bulletsnbabesdvds.com
In all reality, I wish that they would put these discs out before Christmas. Logistically it probably is not likely. When they do get them out, (Please let it be early 2k2) I hope that they release them full seasons at a time, and do it fast enough for us to catch up to R2 and R4. I don't want to urge a petition, I feel that Fox should know by now who eagerly anticipated these discs are, and if we keep starting up petitions for everything, they start to loose there effectiveness. Besides which, Fox has rapidly risen to the top of my list for DVD production, a stupendous turn around from their initial releases (or lack of...)
As for you R2 and R4 DVD owners, I envy you.
In the end, wooden stakes might still be an option
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"I am willing to explore my humanity. Take off your clothes."
- Seven of Nine to Kim "Revulsion"
[email protected]
[Edited last by Lance Nichols on September 06, 2001 at 12:05 PM]

 

[Joel C]

FYI, though BtVS was aired on the WB in the US, the show is actually owned by Fox, so we can expect full X-Files like sets.
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Joel
[email protected]
"I've been very lonely in my isolated tower of indecipherable speech."
digitallyOBSESSED

 

[Lance Nichols]

You know, I knew that...
I think it is time to have my brain rebooted... Why the heck am I ranting on about WB delaying the release? Because my brain just doesn't work anymore. So, I guess I go back and edit... save myself some embarassment...

 

[Ted Todorov]

As for you R2 and R4 DVD owners, I envy you.

Don't envy them, join them. There are plenty of reasonably priced, reliable R2 & R4 e-tailers.
If you have technical problems playing R2/R4 disks, get a Malata DVD player. Remember: Buffy is neither the first nor last thing that will only be released somewhere else (at least for a long while). Don't be reduced to saying "please Dear Studio, pretty please!" Take your destiny into your own hands.
Ted

 

[Simon Massey]

Don't envy us R2 and R4 owners too much
I have both Season 1 and Season 2 of BVTS and I have to say that while it is great to have them, the picture quality is not the best, and I am hoping they will remaster them for the R1 release. I just hope when they release Season 3 in October, the picture quality improves because it is my favourite season
Also Angel Series 1 is being released in December but will be 4:3. Let's hope the US release is 16:9.

 

[Lance Nichols]

First, yes, I know there are region free players out there, in fact I have a Creative labs DXr2 that can be hacked. I am NOT a supporter of the region system. I think that it encourages piracy in the long term, as people get frustrated at issues like this.
Consumers, once they realize that an entrenched right is being disabused, often will fight back, Walmart, and such not withstanding.
Second, it is disappointing to note that the discs out now are not the best quality, but I bet they are better then my abused VHS tapes. That does not excuse DVD production houses from making a good effort, though. I wonder how much of it is just poor original source material. I understand that it is on mag cart, and not film stock. (Thank God Desilu was smart enough to do Trek as Film stock and not magnetic media, otherwise those magnificent TOS episode reissues would be in sad shape.)
Finally, is Angel filmed in HiDef? If it is I would love to see a 16:9 issue (anamorphic of course). If not, I don't want it cropped. I am for OAR, and if Angel is actually filmed on stock, I suspect they would be using Super35, and filmed Open matte. That brings up the question of, what is OAR for open matte, WS, or Academy ratio?

 

[Jeff Kleist]

According to Mr. Staddon, our releases should be virtually identical, withe some slight packaging changes. Don't forget the first 2 seasons were shot on no budget, 16mm. Season 3 and up were shot on 35, and the quality jump is amazing
Don't bet on getting Angel soon, but Buffy is 99% coming before February. They just can't announce anything till after FX(HISS!) does their airing is my guess.
4:3 is Joss Whedon's preferred ratio for television, so I doubt you will see Buffy in widescreen(I HOPE I'm wrong) on DVD. However Angel is supposed to be airing widescreen this year, whoopee!!!!! And that means the DVDs will be also
Jeff Kleist

 

[andrew McC]

The BBC have aired season's four and five of buffy in, 1:85:1 anamorphic widescreen. So I hope the dvd's are the same, what ever region they may be.

 

[Jason Quillen]

There seem to be a lot of Rumors flying that Region 1 will be remastered when they (finally) come to the US. Lets just all cross our fingers and hope that they are remastered and just havent been sitting on a shelf without FOX touching at them for the past year.
JQ

 

[Simon Massey]

Good to hear that the packaging will change.
buffy season 2 comes in a book of discs, which are really hard to get out of the slip. There have been a lot of complaints about this packaging because it is scratching the discs. The packaging for Season 3 looks similar, but there were so many complaints initially about season 2, that I think they may have slightly altered it to allow more room for each disc.

 

[Lance Nichols]

Well, some of these rumors sound promising. I guess we will all have to wait and see. IN the meant time I will be getting BtVS (the movie), of course. Actually, up here in Canada the Space channel aired it just recently. God, Paul just stole the scenes... Kristy Swanson was fun, even in all that old "fashions".
The TV show is better in the long run, with just enough seriousness and camp to keep things going.
Does anyone know if the (rumored) packaging will be the same as the R2 release? I seem to recall thinking it looked cool, with the cross-like motif

 

[Jeff Kleist]

I've heard that the US version will not be the cross, but will be like the UK S2/3 packaging so that they match
As I've said before, 4:3 is Joss's preferred ratio for Buffy, therefore is what the DVDs will appear in unless he has a change of heart (unlikely). He PROTECTS for 1.85:1 for foreign showings. Please remember that in the UK, widescreen TVs are popular and common. In the US, there is no widescreen set under $1500, nor is it likely that any non-HD 16:9 TVs will be made any time soon. No broadcast station shows programming in anamorphic widescreen on the standard TV channels (only ER is aired non-anamorphic widescreen, though West Wing and supposedly Angel will follow this year).
I want Widescreen Buffy as much as you do, but Lord Whedon makes that descision, and we need to abide by it
Jeff Kleist

 

[Anders Englund]

4:3 is Joss Whedon's preferred ratio for television

Who does he think he is? Kubrick?
--Anders
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http://www.dvd1138.com/
Ob me Deus cavet
Link Removed

 

[Mark E J]

QUOTE:
- Don't envy them, join them. There are plenty of reasonably priced, reliable R2 & R4 e-tailers.
If you have technical problems playing R2/R4 disks, get a Malata DVD player. Remember: Buffy is neither the first nor last thing that will only be released somewhere else (at least for a long while). Don't be reduced to saying "please Dear Studio, pretty please!" Take your destiny into your own hands. -
But don't you need a PAL tv to play R2/R4 discs? I could probably afford a region free DVD player but geting a whole new PAL compatible tv is a bit much.

 

[Russell_Lengthorn]

Mark,
I think the Malata player that was refered to converts PAL to NTSC so that you could watch the Buffy DVDs on any normal American TV.
Regarding the boxset packaging I bought the R4 versions as they come in keepcases enclosed in a cardboard sleeve. This takes up a lot of room, but at least it is much more accessable.
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[Mark E J]

Wow I never heard of a DVD player the would convert PAL to NTSC. Can anyone point me in the right direction to find one of these?

 

[Adam Tyner]

This would be a perfect application for dynamic pan-and-scan -- include anamorphic widescreen presentations and use dynamic p&s to show the center of the frame (which is how it's presented on TV in the U.S., correct?). Wouldn't that make everyone happy?
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My DVD list | My personal site

 

[Chris Dugger]

Mark....
The Malata Player can be had here:
http://www.avdeals.com/malata_dvd.htm
And (as an owner) it is the best money I have spent on a dvd player in ages. It has re-placed my APEX hands down.
Not only do I have PAL Buffy season 1 & 2, but a ton of R2 titles not availabe in R1.
Just to name a few:
The Burning
Orgazmo
Purple Rain (16x9 1.85)
Vacation (16x9 1.85)
South Park season 1 - 4
Farscape seasons 1 - 2
and others....
I highly recommend this player!
Dugger

 

[Mark E J]

Thanks alot Chris!
I just checked out the link you provided and all I can say is WOW!

I got to get me one of these!

 

[Mike Miskulin]

Chris,
How does this player stack up to the rest of the (non-region free) DVD players on the market now (Sony, etc.)? Have you encountered any playback problems or any issues with A/V quality? How does it handle notorious "problem discs" like the Matrix and the abyss? Thanks in advance for the input. I may have to get one of these if the quality is good.
mike.
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