Christmas Story DVD (1 Viewer)

[Dan Keefe]

Remember The Christmas Story? The one with the Red Rider BB Gun? My wife picked it up yesterday at BB. Unfortunately, It was full screen...I haven't opened it yet. I am wondering if it is available in Widescreen or not. If it is I wil return the "standard" version and get widescreen. If not I guess I will open it and watch it since it is a family fave...
thanks,
dan

 

[David Norman]

Dan I don't see any DVD copies in WS. I checked at a couple web sites that I buy discs from and neither lists it
available anything other than 4:3 in mono.

The good news is that it appears it only had a mono soundtrack and was only 1.66 when it was released on LD. I'm not sure of the theatrical OAR, but IMDB has it listed as a 1.37 film negative with 1.85 intended ratio.

 

[Dan Keefe]

Thanks David,
I guess I'll open it...make the family happy anyway...Ihate fullscreen
thanks again,
dan

 

[James L White]

return it, it's only available in very crappy FS, no WS version is on DVD

 

[Greg_Y]

There have been a few petitions to get this title re-released as a widescreen anamorphic title, possibly with the extras it deserves, but nothing has come to fruition.

This was on TCM yesterday in widescreen and it looked about the same as when I zoom in on my 16:9 set. It also looked like the same transfer -- fair video quality and not much more. I forgot to notice if the wavy, heat effect (which is really noticeable in the beginning) was there or not.

 

[Kyle McKnight]

It's a crappy transfer to boot. Try running a searh and you will find multiple threads on this topic.

 

[Brian Lawrence]

It looks like hell!! take it back.

 

[Michael*K]

Add to the feedback thread.

 

[Chas_Michael]

Enjoy it for what it is! A Fine and dandy Christmas movie, fun for the whole family. Warts and all. I'd view it in any format as long as our family can get then pleasure we do every year!

 

[Seth Paxton]

Yes, I believe it is open matte, so at least you could pretend the LBX bars are there (or zoom on a W/S set).
Great disc...no. Great film...yes. Keep it because at this point what can you do. Hopefully the film will get done properly on DVD at some point, though I wonder how many people actually first saw it widescreen/theatrically anyway.

 

[Jeffrey Gray]

ACS is open matte...however, it is the exact same transfer that was used for the original video release in 1984! No kidding...when MGM/UA did the DVD, they just pulled out the old VHS transfer! Thus it's overly soft and has artifacting problems...but at least it's 100% (AFAIK) open-matte, for those who can stand it...

 

[Jan Strnad]

Yeah, it's a great film that deserves a top-notch DVD. However, mediocre transfer aside, it still provides a lot of entertainment.

And, as said above, it was shot "open matte" so there's no pan-and-scanning going on, nothing cut off the sides of the 4:3 aspect ratio. Also, I don't know of any boom mikes, cables, etc. visible in the 4:3 version.

Jan

 

[Jeff Kleist]

The UK has it listed for a November release next year. Whether or not it's an SE remains to be seen

Honestly, I will be personally SHOCKED if Warner doesn't SE this movie in the next 2 years

 

[Joshua Clinard]

I was going to post the same thing, but Jeff beat me too it. I would take it back, since it's most likely that Warner will release this in animorphic widescreen next year anyways. If you have to watch it again before then, go ahead and watch in on TV, or rent it, since the quality of the DVD is not that good anyways.

 

[Brenton]

If I were in your shoes, I would take that sucker back to the store, thus putting my foot down on fullscreen-only releases.

It's on TV every year anyway.

 

[Robert_eb]

I would just tape it off of TCM if you want the correct aspect ratio. It's going to be on TCM Saturday 12/14/2002 4:00 PM & Sunday 12/22/2002 8:00 PM.
http://turnerclassicmovies.com/ThisM...,12732,00.html

 

[Patrick McCart]

DO watch the TCM broadcast, but be warned...

The print they have is OAR, but has awful picture quality.

 

[Brad Eisenhauer]

For the record, I attempted to watch ACS on my widescreen TV last week with the picture zoomed in an effort to recreate its OAR. Most of it looked just fine, framing-wise, but several shots looked very cramped. I'm not convinced that this is 100% open-matte. Maybe some boom mikes had to be P&Sed out of the shot. (The picture quality of the transfer is still pretty bad.)

 

[Greg_S_H]

I wonder how many people actually first saw it widescreen/theatrically anyway.

I did! If memory serves, the Sudden Impact trailer was attached. It was the first time I heard the "make my day" line, and it made a pretty strong impression.

Anyway, ACS was definitely a movie I wanted to take other family members to see after my first viewing. Also, it seems to me it was a pretty big hit with the middle school set. We used to quote it all the time, and try our hand at "pidgin English" Christmas carols. Not a terribly PC thing to do in this day and age, I know.

Great film.

 

[Larry W]

Next year is the 20th anniversary of ACS. I hope Warner will do a special edition to celebrate it. My dream release of ACS would include it being remastered for video and sound, the original mono and a new 5.1 soundtrack, anamorphic widescreen version, open-matte version, audio commentaries by cast and crew, deleted scenes, and all the Messy Marvin commercials with optional commentary by Peter Billingsley. Any one want to add anything else?

Larry