HTF REVIEW: "Evil Dead: BOOK OF THE DEAD" Limited Edition *Special Review* (1 Viewer)

[Damin J Toell]

So an actor who was in the film

...who was also a producer of the film and did the new transfer as per the wishes of the film's director.

DJ

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

Damin: are you saying that if the director of Willy Wonka expressed his preference for pan and scan, you would be perfectly happy with a pan and scan Willy Wonka disc? Because I can't imagine that the majority of HTF would be.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

I can't wait for my special widescreen anamorphic Citizen Kane and Singin' In The Rain DVDs to arrive.

That day is coming, unfortunately.

 

[Damin J Toell]

Damin: are you saying that if the director of Willy Wonka expressed his preference for pan and scan, you would be perfectly happy with a pan and scan Willy Wonka disc? Because I can't imagine that the majority of HTF would be.

i do not speak for "the majority of HTF," but i want any film to be presented in the manner which the director prefers. the end.

DJ

 

[Scott Calvert]

What's with all this "horizontal pan&scan" gibberish? Movies shot flat are matted (99% of the time) for theatrical exibition, and have been for about 40 years. I can almost guarantee you that what few theaters played Evil Dead matted it to 1:85.

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

Scott --

The film was shot full-frame, but composed for 1.66:1, according to The Evil Dead Companion (page 82), a book in which Sam Raimi participated heavily.

The articles I've read about the production of this DVD refer to Bruce Campbell reframing the film shot-by-shot because of the new cropping.

 

[Josh_Hill]

I cant wait to get this. "Awesome, Totally Awesome!"

 

[Scott Calvert]

Aaron, I should have prefaced my statement with "In America..."

I've heard European cinemas regularly crop films to 1:66. Over here, however, I've never seen a film displayed in 1:66. Filmmaker's intention or not, flat films are projected at 1:85. Even then, horizontal composition varies wildly within the 1:85 frame.

It's just not something to get upset about, especially in a zero-budget flick like this one. IMO, or course.

 

[Brian]

Damin: are you saying that if the director of Willy Wonka expressed his preference for pan and scan, you would be perfectly happy with a pan and scan Willy Wonka disc? Because I can't imagine that the majority of HTF would be.

Yes, if a major director like Stanley Kubrick demanded that the video release of his movies be full frame, I'm sure the the HTF members would be furious.

 

[Neil White]

$29.98 at DeepDiscountDVD.com. Man I love that retailer...

N

 

[Beast]

You can pre-order it at Suncoast and Media Play stores right now for only 29.99 as well. No shipping and handling either.
MTFBWY and HH!!
Mike

 

[AdrianJ]

Anyone who wants the movie at its "other" aspect ratio can find the Elite Special Edition DVD cheap. I have two versions of Army of Darkness, and I guess I'll end up with 2 versions of this one too!

I guess I'm not the only one! Now, I guess we need a 2nd version of Evil Dead 2 so we can have 6 DVDs of 3 films

 

[Chad Ferguson]

Is the book a limited edition thing? If so, how limited?

Thanks

 

[David Lambert]

$29.98 at DeepDiscountDVD.com. Man I love that retailer...

$27.99 at Best Buy, and almost sure to be discounted during it's first week of release. Hmm...no thanks to DDD!!
I wasn't even thinking about getting this, but after Ron's review I'm now toying with the idea of buying it. Two of my wife's best friends are definatley picking it up and they can't stop recommending the film. As to DVDFile's review of the transfer, I've seen many an HTFer disagree with what DVDFile reviews said about picture quality, so I'll get off the fence when I see other opinions.

 

[Rob Lutter]

Chad-
I believe that the BOTD edition is NOT NUMBERED, but it will be discontinued sometime after it is released... can anyone clarify this? Thanks.

 

[Will K]

***Never mind***

 

[Adam Tyner]

The Evil Dead was, in fact, shot in 35mm.

I'm not sure where you got this information, but it's incorrect. The film (which was actually originally planned to be shot on Super 8 and blown up to 35mm for theatrical distribution) was unquestionably shot on 16mm. Rob Tapert was the one who suggested shooting on 16mm, and one of the cameras (if not the only camera) used was an Arriflex 16mm. This is all pretty well documented...

 

[GregK]

Bruce Campbell has also made it VERY clear in his

book that the first Evil Dead was shot in 16mm.

 

[Will K]

OK guys, it appears that I may have jumped the gun here. Looks I may have been confused with the fact that 35mm prints were struck a few years back and used for the Elite disc. My bad.

 

[AdrianJ]

$27.99 at Best Buy, and almost sure to be discounted during it's first week of release. Hmm...no thanks to DDD!!

Dave,
Not to be combative, but the last time I checked sales tax in Tennesse was 7.75% which brings the total to $30.16 Plus, DDD will usually get it to you the Saturday before release, if you preorder far enough in advance!