HTF REVIEW: Grease (with screenshots) (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

As far as I know, Paramount has been
releasing anamorphic from day one.

 

[Chris M]

But there were many Paramount films that were from that era that were non-anamorphic, like the Jack Ryan trilogy, a couple Star Treks, etc. So, it can go either way
Chris.

 

[ScottR]

This is one Paramount title where the original mountain logo was much better than the new one....especially after the end credits where "is the word, is the word, is the word" faded into the Paramount mountain. This effect is totally lost in the '98 version. Why can't things be left alone?

 

[Seth_S]

Paramount's very first DVDs were in anamorphic widescreen, such as Star Trek: First Contact released 6/10/98. After that they went on a streak of only non-anamorphic DVDs. After like a year or so, new releases were in anamorphic widescreen and catalogue releases were non-anamorphic (because they were using the LD transfers). By mid 1999 they were back to (almost) all anamorphic releases (there was still the ocasional non-anamorphic release).
Everyone bitches about Paramount DVDs now, but there was a time when they were one of the only studios you could count on for anamorphic widescreen DVDs. Who else here remembers how unwillingly FOX was with going anamorphic widescreen and how awful many of their early DVDs were (many which have yet to get new transfers, such as Broadcast News).

 

[TysonK]

I still can't decide whether or not to get this dvd. I was all for it until everyone started to say that a special edition will be released by next year. Does anyone really believe Paramount will re-release this one again? They have only done this with Star Trek but that's a special case. If it came out non anamorphic, then I would definitely suspect a new special edition. But revisiting the same anamorphic movie, I don't see it happening. From what I heard, Paramount spent a fortune getting all the rights resolved. Maybe, 3 or 4 years but not next year....

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I still can't decide whether or not to get this dvd. I was all for it until everyone started to say that a special edition will be released by next year. Does anyone really believe Paramount will re-release this one again?

Who's "everyone"? The only people who think a new version will come out in 2003 are the folks who are paranoid that EVERY DVD will be re-released at some point; they're the ones who ask if they should buy the "Ultimate Toy Box" or wait until a better version arrives.

Can I guarantee that a new edition of Grease WON'T appear in 2003? No. Does it seem probable? No. Paramount almost never double-dips, and it seems REALLY unlikely that they'd issue a re-release a year after this one. If they had bigger plans for Grease, this disc wouldn't be here now...

 

[Cary T]

Colin couldn't have said it any better. I'll be picking this up on the 24th

 

[Jordan_E]

There are a few titles I don't mind "double dipping" at all. STAR TREK The Wrath of Khan and THE EXORCIST to name a couple that I have 2 versions of now, and GREASE will gladly be added to that list if a SE comes along down the road.

 

[David Von Pein]

...they're the ones who ask if they should buy the "Ultimate Toy Box" or wait until a better version arrives.

Good point. If "ULTIMATE" isn't the best you're gonna find, I don't know what is. (I guess there could come along an "Ultimate 2 Collectors Special Directors Uncut Anniversary Limited Edition".)

 

[David Lambert]

I was all for it until everyone started to say that a special edition will be released by next year. Does anyone really believe Paramount will re-release this one again?

And Colin has pretty much nailed this one, but I'll back him up, too. Paramount NEVER double dips, at least so far, except for Star Trek (where other forces are at work). I've been saying this over and over again like a broken record for months, so I'm actually proud of the number of people I see in this thread stating that!
Now, if they WERE gonna start double dipping on the non-Trek side, I'm the first to agree that Grease is a *very* likely candidate. But I won't bet the farm on it. I plan to pick up this title for whatever the best stupid low price turns out to be in my Weekly Roundup next Sunday! :week:

 

[Lee_eel]

Isn't it Grease's 25th Anniversary next year! I wouldn't bet against a special edition dvd.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Isn't it Grease's 25th Anniversary next year! I wouldn't bet against a special edition dvd.

(That hollow thump you hear? The sound of me beating my head against the wall...)

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Grease was supposed to be among the very first run of Paramount DVDs, and ALL of the first run of Paramount DVDs were anamorphic. Period.

This depends on how you define "first run", I suppose. All of the 10/6/98 titles were anamorphic, but some of the 10/20/98 discs - Top Gun, Clear and Present Dinner - were non-anamorphic. Yes, I'm picking nits, as your example is technically correct, but the second batch came so soon behind the first that it's tough to differentiate...

 

[Jenna]

Well, despite the less-than-stellar release, this DVD will find a place on my shelf. I'll enjoy this one, while Paramount takes another 4 years to release the SE.

 

[Britton]

Uhm, this might be a little off topic, but the animated opening credits sequence of this movie has always REALLY creeped me out. It's just so... creepy looking.

 

[Seth_S]

This depends on how you define "first run", I suppose. All of the 10/6/98 titles were anamorphic, but some of the 10/20/98 discs - Top Gun, Clear and Present Dinner - were non-anamorphic. Yes, I'm picking nits, as your example is technically correct, but the second batch came so soon behind the first that it's tough to differentiate...

My guess is that the first wave were in production for a while, and during their production someone realized they could save a lot of time and money if they just recycled old laserdisc transfers and that's why the releases which came out three months later were all non-anamorphic.

 

[John Kwong]

I have a question about the aspect ratio of this DVD.

One of the first things that caught my eye was that, during the opening credits, Stockard Channings name is cut off slightly on the left hand side of the frame. Did anyone else notice this? Was this present in the original film or has it been "cropped"?

 

[Clint B]

"Clear and Present Dinner" ...
Hmm...is that something that Hannibal Lecter would hope more of his victims to be?
Sorry...I had a better (and much more ribald) joke, but I don't wanna get booted off the forum!

 

[ScottR]

On the 98 vhs copy widescreen, Stockard Channing's name is perfectly framed with a little room to the left of her name.

 

[Richard Michael Clark]

Stockard Channing's name was always slightly cropped on my (pre 20th anniversary) w/s vhs (UK PAL).
I was hoping that it wouldn't happen again! bummer!
(could be down to tv overscan of course!)
There are 2 things that bug me about this release:
1) the packaging - whilst the design is nice and erm, "different" the very solid plastic digi-pak tray causes the bloody disc to crack when you put it back in!!!!!
2) As previously mentioned the audio is kinda weird!
I've only ever seen this film on vhs before (I missed the '98 cinema re-issue for some bizarrre reason!) but maybe it's dvd technology showing up the mix?
The mix out of "You're the one that I want" is terrible - it's always just faded out into the background as the action carries on BUT now it sounds like the final bit of the song has been re-dubbed into the mix. It's like it speeds up for a moment and then has a few new "woo-hoos" added in - most strange! check it out to see what I mean (from where Danny & Sandy jump of the 'Shake Shack' to where they all discuss what'll happen after graduation!)
Also new bits like Danny saying "it's electrifying" AGAIN have been added in - why have they done this? Obviously done for the 20th anniversary but what was wrong with it before?!
Also (again possibly due to the increased resolution of dvd!) I've noticed how bad some of the lip-synching is!!!!
Stockard Channing's miming to "There are worse things I could do" is probably the worst offender!
All that said, I'm still really pleased to finally have "Grease" on dvd! If Paramount did want to do a full-on SE - with PLEASE director & cast commentaries! - then there'd be a definate re-buy from moi!