LIFEFORCE SE desperately wanted... (1 Viewer)

[Mark_TS]

OK, so in Japan they LOVE the film LIFEFORCE aka THE SPACE VAMPIRES;
It gets rereleased every year, each time at a lower price point;
But this July 17, it has a slightly HIGHER price point, and a new Catalog number; (HMD 10800) Y1410-about $12 USD
It appears SONY has made this 16:9 enhanced, if the Google translator/or supplied info is correct; It has, I must warn you, been listed incorrectly as enhanced before;

But the new price and number are a good sign-previously it was distriibuted by FOX with a different catalog #; Ive also written CDJAPAN to confirm.
But This is the page translated for DISCSTATION:

http://translate.google.com/translat...lr%3D%26sa%3DG

 

[David_Blackwell]

I'm just wondering when we will see an SE since MGM has decided to go with 20th Century Fox to distribute their films on DVD soon.

 

[Mark_TS]

Ive tried to go to SONY.jp Home Video to confirm 16:9, but it is not yet listed in the "Coming Soon" section.

I dont think it will make a dimes worth of difference here-Fox will have no say in the movies-they will only distribute them-if I understand correctly

 

[Jeffrey Nelson]

Wow, if this new Japanese DVD is an improved transfer without the horrible EE, I'm definitely game. The MGM DVD just ported the LD transfer, which, in addition to the EE, was a bit wobbly. But for the time it was a godsend; at least it was uncut and in widescreen.

 

[GregK]

Apparently the HDNet airing was the theatrical version. Even so, it still would have been nice to check out, when compared to the poorly mastered DVD release...

 

[Mark_TS]

well, just got this from CDJapan:

 

[Martin S]

Thought I'd bump this thread back up to ask if anyone had got the Japanese DVD yet. Is it anamorphic?

 

[Mattias_ka]

How is the PQ and audio quality of that? I have the Japanese 2.35:1 LD of that version. If you can, I would be glad for some screenshots from that DVD.

 

[Jim Peavy]

From the sound of Mark TS' post just above your's, it is.

 

[Martin S]

Thing is though that the listing now states its 'LB Cinemascope' and not 'squeeze' like Mark mentions. I'd have thought that meant it wasn't anamorphic.
I'll try and ask CD Japan, I just wondered if anyone had bought it that could supply first hand info.

 

[Jim Peavy]

But then he also says it's listed at CDJapan as being in "Anamorphic Scope" (er, I think...) and with you saying it, in fact, isn't listed like that, I guess all bets are off...

 

[Mike_Richardson]

Guys, don't waste your time. I bought it and it is most definitely NOT 16:9. The CD Japan rep told me it wasn't in an email exchange I had, but I placed the order regardless since I had to find 3 titles thru HMV Japan to qualify for 30% off (they had a decent sale going on). Sadly, it's the same old transfer we've seen in 4:3 widescreen.

What bothers me as much is that Sony's HD mastered version running on HDNet is the SHORT theatrical version -- I'm hoping that doesn't supplant the original longer cut in HD-DVD or Blu Ray.

 

[Mattias_ka]

And 1.85:1 also, right?

 

[EnricoE]

no, hdnet aired the film in oar. that's their motto: only in oar

to bad they didn't show the international cut. but i had low hopes since they also only showed the butchered pg-13 cut of 1492.

anyway, a s.e. for lifeforce is highly appreciated. c'mon sony, give it to us

 

[Mark_TS]

well, I would like to see a 16x9 branching edition of the theatrical and 'international' cuts. Ive read that the film had 30 mins cut out on top of that.
And if they could secure the docu "The Making of Lifeforce" that would be great.

 

[David_Blackwell]

Well, write to Fox since they now handle the distribution for MGM on DVD now that you want a Lifeforce SE.

From teh book I once read, a chapter talked about Lifeforce where it kept getting cut down. The longest cut mentioned was 130 minutes before it was cut down to under 2 hours and then the US theater cut was the next length after that.

 

[Jeffrey Nelson]

WOW, another 14 minutes missing? I figured there had to be at least a bit more still on the cutting-room floor, but man...I'd absolutely LOVE to see a 130-minute cut of the last great old-school British-style horror/sci-fi film. C'mon, MGM/Fox, give us a remastered DVD of either the entire thing, or at least the International version with the never-before-seen footage as an extra. (The extremely butchered U.S. version, as far as I'm concerned, can go away, although the alternate opening credits sequence should at least be included, because it's an interesting change.) The making-of doc is a must, so I don't have to look for the LD anymore. The trailer, which only showed up cropped on the widescreen LD (it didn't play on any DVD copy I've ever seen), would be great to have letterboxed at last. A gallery of production stills and poster art from various countries, of course. And, commentary and/or interviews by/with Hooper, Dykstra, Firth, Railsback, Finlay, and Stewart would be sublime, as would a discussion of the film's Quatermass influences. Not that it would happen in a gazillion years, but to make me the happiest film nerd alive, they could include Mancini's brilliant soundtrack on CD.

 

[David_Blackwell]

the trailer was on the MGM DVD release for R1 (it had a booklet too).

 

[Jeffrey Nelson]

I have that DVD, with the booklet, and the trailer doesn't play. It's supposedly on the disc, but...good luck in watching it. I returned the first copy I had for another, and it also refused to play the trailer. I tried it on different players, too. I think the repressed MGM DVD doesn't even bother mentioning it.

 

[David_Blackwell]

The trailer plays on my disc. I watched it.