Has anyone got Newsies yet? (1 Viewer)

[Joshua Clinard]

I am supposed to get this in the mail today! I cannot wait, I am so excited about this one. If I get it today, I will post a review tonight, unless someone else gets to it before me.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

Before I buy this, I want to know if the end credits are still re-done like they were on the laserdisc and VHS- for some reason they re-did them using video character generator rather than film, and it looks cheesy. Call me nit-picky, but I don't want to buy the DVD unless it has the original credits.

 

[Marty Christion]

Call me nit-picky, but I don't want to buy the DVD unless it has the original credits.

Ok, you're nitpicky. The end credits certainly don't look like video. My guess is that they were too wide for the pan&scan VHS (double columns), and too small for the letterboxed laserdisc. They're even a little hard to read on the DVD.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

Good enough; guess I'll be getting this. I suspected the credits might have been changed because of how badly this movie bombed in theaters. It has a sort of sentimental value to me since it was one of the movies playing when I first learned how to run the projection system; the first day I got to work by myself "Newsies" was cut down to 2 shows per day and nobody came to either one! I like musicals though, what can I say, and sounds like this has gotten a better following since then.

 

[Joshua Clinard]

I haven't got it yet, it should be here tomorrow.

 

[David Lambert]

If it helps, I saw it at CostCo yesterday (Tuesday, it's street date). I overlooked it when I walked by, but a woman picked it up and waved it at her daughter, saying "Hey, this was just on TV today!".

 

[Jesse Skeen]

Watched the movie last night, looks and sounds great, and the end credits appear to be unaltered this time, though they did windowbox them starting with the final shot in the movie (which is unnecessary since my TV has no overscan). This was the 2nd movie released in Dolby Digital, but only as an unadvertised test in 2 theaters (Star Trek VI was the first). It failed miserably in theaters but seems to have developed a following nevertheless. There's a Spanish soundtrack on the disc, but sounds like they left the songs in English.

A BIG surprise is that Trey Parker (of South Park, Cannibal the Musical and Orgazmo fame) is supposedly in this movie! He's credited as playing "Kid Blink"; I scanned through the movie afterwards trying to spot him but didn't have enough time to tell if that was the same Trey Parker or not.

 

[RafaelB]

Hey,

I just wanted to chime in here. I haven't seen "Newsies" since the sneak preview way back in 91-92 and always thought it was a fun little musical. But, I digress...

I was a little confused about the Trey Parker listed in the credits and found out (through imdb, noless) that it's a different Trey, not of South Park fame.

Rafael

 

[Dana Rodakis]

This DVD is replacing my laserdisc copy. The anamorphic widescreen transfer is very nice. And the soundtrack is Dolby Digital 5.1 (not mentioned on the cover art). I also enjoyed all the bonus material very much. Select subtitle 4 to view the sing-along lyrics.

Dana

 

[Jesse Skeen]

When you've got a hundred voices singing, who can hear a lousy whistle blow?

 

[Mike Frezon]

I have GOT to highly recommend this title. It blows away my VHS copy!
As others have said, the video transfer and the DD5.1 are both awesome. But the bonus features are also great. Two features on the "making of" Newsies...as well as running commentary which seems quite thorough. One of the interesting things about the commentary is that the filmmakers are viewing the film ("revisiting it" to use one's words) from a ten-years-later perspective.
Also, since the supplemental features (including featurettes and trailers) are full screen, they give an excellent example of why you would want to see this movie in its OAR (2.35:1)! In the full screen shots, half the dancers are missing!
For those who don't know, Newsies is a musical released by Disney in 1991 (same year as Beauty & The Beast). It tells the story of a newspaper boys' strike against Hearst & Pulitzer in turn-of-the-cenury NYC. Did lousy box office but has a fairly substantial following as one of the last major motion picture musicals. Excellent music by Alan Menken (Little Mermaid, Beauty & The Beast, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Pocahontas, Aladdin, Hercules!). It features a singing and dancing Christian Bale. If you haven't seen it, give it a try!

 

[Nate Anderson]

Before I buy this, I want to know if the end credits are still re-done like they were on the laserdisc and VHS- for some reason they re-did them using video character generator rather than film, and it looks cheesy. Call me nit-picky, but I don't want to buy the DVD unless it has the original credits.

This film was shot 2.35:1 anamorphic, and it makes sense that they would have to re-do the credits for the pan and scan version.

These look like the regular credits.

A very, very good flick with a very good DVD. Does anyone else think the cover art would look sharper in a black case though?

I've had the songs stuck in my head all day.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Does anyone else think the cover art would look sharper in a black case though?

Yup! I do! Was thinking the same thing.

And, I also think they do the DVD a disservice by only putting Robert Duvall and Ann-Margret's names on the cover. While the case could be made that Duvall plays a main character, Ann-Margret's role is certainly just a cameo and one that many agree holds the film back a bit.

The film really belongs to Christian Bale, David Moscow, Max Casella and the rest of the Newsies....and Bill Pullman.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

The one I got was in a black case.

And the world will know...

 

[Joshua Clinard]

Mine was in a black case too.

"Look at me, I'm the King of New York!"

 

[Mike Frezon]

Hmmmmm. Mine was in a white case.
Black would look much better.

 

[Nate Anderson]

Well, I switched the cover art and disc into one of my spare black cases, and it looks much better.

I'm sorry, but the thing looked like a damn Oreo on my shelf. The white case looked weird.

I also agree that this movie belongs to Christian Bale and the other Newsies. Ann Margret was barely in it.

 

[Joshua Clinard]

At the time this movie was made, I don't think those stars were as well known at Robert Duvall and Ann Margaret. That's why they were the ones credited. I think if the movie were being made today, Christian Bale, and Bill Pullman would get top billing.

 

[Mike Frezon]

At the time this movie was made, I don't think those stars were as well known at Robert Duvall and Ann Margaret. That's why they were the ones credited.

Well, yeah. But it wasn't called "Medda and Joe" either. It was called Newsies.
And this has got nothing to do about when the movie was made, but its DVD release. The VHS artwork does commit the same injustice.
The credits at the end of the film (there are none at the front) list Bale, Moscow, Pullman, etc. first while Duvall and Ann-Margret were listed at the end as featured cameo players.
This is no big deal. I just think its kind of false advertising (like this has never been done before, right) to list those two as the "stars". They certainly could have been listed alongside the other principals.
I suppose it could even be argued that Christian Bale is a bigger drawing card in 2002 than Ann-Margret!

 

[Joshua Clinard]

Yes, but rerelease artwork usually tries to be reflective of the time period of original theatrical release. At least that's what a lot of forum members ask for. When something is updated for modern purposes, most people complain, now something is not updated, and there are still complaints. Some people here just cannot be happy. I like it the way it is.