Chitty Chitty Bang Bang SE (1 Viewer)

[BruceKimmel]

Yes, Ron, as I said, the documentary is pretty much a write-off. It's twenty-five minutes of Dick Van Dyke reminscing (and not always accurately) intersperced with about fifteen minutes worth of faded ugly clips. It carries a copyright of 2003 (the doc) but it doesn't seem like it was done for this SE. Clearly they missed a golden opportunity to go back and talk to the kids and anyone else who might still be around.

BUT, I never complain if the transfer is top-notch, so there you are.

 

[Aaron_Brez]

I hope you're right, Dan. I'm just suspicious...

 

[SpenceJT]

Hi, I have added new pages to my web site at
http://www.heatherripley.com/articles.htm
Haven't got round to the on-line diary bit yet, but I will eventually!
Adrian and I are still waiting to hear from MGM if we will be offered
promotional work for the new DVD...........watch this space!
Heather Ripley

The Yahoo group, as well has Ms. Ripley's entry are only a few days old. My guess is that MGM, for whatever reason, decided to exclude her (as well as Adrian Hall... now a drama teacher) from the DVD release. This is really too bad as I would also have loved a "group commentary" with the former children (ala Willy Wonka).

I've posted a letter to Ms. Ripley in her Yahoo group, telling her of my appreciation for the film and asking why she was not involved with the DVD.

 

[Geoff_D]

Having seen the R2 SE, the PAL picture transfer is fantastic. And thankfully there's no 4:3 version on the R2 edition. There really should be some new extras about the kids, though. The 5.1 mix retains the 'zooming cars' as Jefferson put it, and sounds great, if a touch hollow at times.

 

[GerardoHP]

"It does look like a children's James Bond film, given Ken Adam and Gert Frobe."

Not to mention that it was produced by "Cubby" Broccoli.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

And DVD-18s are still in use. Look at the ER and Battlestar Galactica sets.

I'm gonna say this'll be a DVD-18. My copy of Nicholas Nickelby (from MGM) is a DVD-18, so it'd just make sense.

 

[SpenceJT]

In a followup to my earlier post about Heather Ripley (Jemima Potts), Ms. Ripley has been gracious enough to post a reply to my question in the Yahoo group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/heatherripley/

Yes, we were all contacted and asked and all agreed to do interviews for the new DVD. At the time the most reluctant to be interviewed was Dick, he said he really couldn't remember much from that time. However, for a massive fee he finally agreed but for reasons I have
no clue about they decided only to interview him and not bother with the rest of us.

We were very disapointed as we'd looked forward to a reunion. At the moment we are all waiting to hear if we are to be in any way involved in the promotion of the DVD, either in the US or the UK-none of us have heard a word from MGM and Adrian and myself are particularily keen to be involved-perhaps appearing at shops like Hamleys signing the DVDs. I beleive it's out on the 13th Nov, so if they are going to use us we should hear this week or next and I'll let you know.

Heather
ps thank you so much for your compliments!

In my mind, MGM screwed the pooch on this one! From what I've read, Dick VanDyke was battling alcoholism at the time he filmed Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, no wonder his memory of things are shaky from that period.

Perhaps she and Adrian would be interested in a live chat with HTF members? (Ron? Are you listening?)

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Spence,

I got a hold of her email address.

Sent her an invitation to join us with Adrian.

Do me a favor....

Send her a reply and let her know that I have
written her. Give her some reassuring feedback
about our forum and the success of our live chats.

I want her to feel that this is a good opportunity
for the both of them -- and it will be.

It will nice if we can help promote the upcoming
MGM DVD release while giving fans the opportunity
to talk LIVE with the both of them.

Let's keep our fingers crossed.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

That would be SO COOL!

I hope it happens...

dave

 

[Aaron_Brez]

I'm gonna eat my words, here. DVDFile just stated that the first disc is a DVD-18. I am thrilled. Can't wait for this set!

 

[SpenceJT]

Well, Heather has responded to some messages posted after my request, in her Yahoo group so I'm sure she is aware of the HTF!

Ron, please let us know if she contacts you, as well as the results!

Spence

 

[John Stockton]

DVDFile's review is up. Looks fantastic. I just hope the film was transferred from 65 MM elements. The reviewer mentions that the ratio is 2.35:1, but I am hoping that is just a typo.

 

[BruceKimmel]

NOW you're thrilled. The fact that I said it looked faboo didn't mean anything. The fact that just about everyone here said it most surely would be properly done didn't mean anything. Skammen.

 

[John Stockton]

Bruce

I did not mean to sound like I was not taking your word for it. I am just thrilled that more reviewers are agreeing with you.

 

[BruceKimmel]

John, my post was directed at Aaron - for some reason it didn't show up when I posted it. The ratio is absolutely 2.20 and correct. You'll be very happy, I promise you.

 

[SpenceJT]

I am here to report that we have "no joy" status on Ron's invitation to Heather "Jemima" Ripley for a chat session with Home Theater Forum members.

Ms. Ripley is understandably hurt about MGM choosing not to include the remaining cast members in the new Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Special Edition DVD.

To be honest,I've decided not to engage with the whole Chitty promotion thing at all.

Things pertaining to the DVD and the MGM promo machine leave me as cold towards the profiteers involved now as they did when I was 7 years old. MGM has recently, yet again, since the beginning of filming the new DVD, displayed their usual contempt and distain towards everyone involved in the making of the film that made them millions; - at an inestimable cost to the lives of quite a lot of us that we were never adequately compensated for.

I'm allways happy to air my environmentalist views, but others do it a lot better-anyway no one ever interviews me with environmental questions, they only ever want to know about chitty.

As to the "real" Heather, this [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/heatherripley/ is the space I choose to use as a safe place to communicate with people like yourself in a relaxed atmosphere-as far away as possible from the hollywood bollox

I proposed that she (along with the remaining cast members) look into recording a "companion commentary" and selling the CD to those of us who would like to hear their memories of making the movie that generations have (and will) grow up with. I would urge any of you interested in such an option, to voice your opinion in her Yahoo group at the link above. Perhaps something will come of it.

Well, at least we can say that we tried eh Ron?

Later
Spence

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I am saddened to read Heather's reply, but at
the same time, completely understand and respect
her reasoning.

MGM did fans and cast a real disservice by not
including the now-grown-up kids that were as much
part of that film as Dick Van Dyke was.

I really wish we could have hosted dialogue
with Heather on this forum, but I cannot blame
her for how she feels about all this.