Lord of War: 2-Disc Special Edition 1/17 (1 Viewer)

[CraigF]

Russell: I got it at Wal-Mart, but it seems to be $1-2 cheaper at FS (web price). At FS the 2-disc shows up as $23 vs $20 for the 1-disc. I'd say Cdn$23 for a 2-disc is pretty reasonable for a new release these days.

Agree that the framing is an issue, strictly from a philosophical perspective as I didn't see this in a theater. I will think about that some more before opening it. I do not knowingly buy new films that aren't presented in OAR, think this is the first.

Have we got any more info on this MAR, the reason for it?

Will this be one of those films that did relatively poor box office so gets several DVD releases? Specifically an OAR one. Or will it be one of those that did poor BO and gets no more releases? I somehow doubt the latter.

 

[Ruz-El]

Huh? FS on the shelf had it at I think $33.

It doesn't matter now fortunately. My video pimp (My boss at work has an in at a small ma & pop store for hardly used pre-viewed DVD's) has access to the 2 disc set, so I can get it for $13 in 2 weeks. Even so, thanks for the heads up Craig

 

[Joel C]

I got it at Suncoast on sale and returned it for store credit. The manager said he isn't technically supposed to allow it, but he said he does it sometimes when people accidentally buy full frame titles (or widescreen, I suppose).

 

[CraigF]

Russell: FYI, FS has been doing Maple discs pretty cheap recently. I've ordered a few, free shipping and 1-2 days to here. Can't beat $13 though, I'd do that without even caring about the MAR.

Have to admit, this AR difference happening to a new film these days is pretty weird. I don't get it. It's not like Lions Gate doesn't do wider AR's.

 

[Andrew Bunk]

Well, Lions Gate got me on this one. I guess they go on the watch list now.

I am really fearful that this is the first round in the next OAR war we knew was envitable: formatted to fit your screen for the new generation of TV's.

 

[CraigF]

^ Good point, I didn't think of that. So it's to make "no black bars", just like Full Screen did when 4:3 displays were the majority. So it's no better. I've decided my copy's going back... I'm really doubting it's a "director approved" (??) modification of the AR for home viewing for some obscure reason, more likely for J6P preference.

Lion's Gate (and its successor) has been on the watch list in Canada since day one.

 

[Niko Nykanen]

VERY disappointing too see the movie is fitted for 1.77.. The movie was gorgeous 2.35 but now it´s awfully cropped as we see in one of the posts above.

Sigh. Guess i´m gonna have to order R3 for this title..
:frowning:

 

[Sam Davatchi]

I was interested in this film but I will not get it because of this.

 

[Joel C]

Please everyone who won't be buying this, email Lionsgate and let them know. Maybe they will re-release it correctly.

 

[Sam Davatchi]

Please provide an e-mail address that is suitable for this purpose and I will email them. I'm too lazy!

 

[Andrew Bunk]

Here's one address from the DVDTalk thread on this subject:

[email protected]

 

[Shane Martin]

I emailed them already with no response. There is a thread started on the Lord of War Website forum.

I will not buy unless they rerelease the film as 2.35 or the director acknowledges why he did it.

 

[Andrew Bunk]

Here's a great example someone put together of the cropping:



Also, mods or OP, can we add something in the thread title stating the widescreen release is MAR? I think more people need to know before they buy this.

I also emailed Bill Hunt at TDB-hopefully he can look into this as well.

 

[MattFini]

I emailed them as well. I'm really upset about this as I was planning on buying the film.

 

[Juan C]

This just appeared on thedigitalbits:


Personally, I don't buy it. Why? Because Lions Gate has also reformatted Creep for 1.78:1 when its OAR was 2.35:1



Here they removed the mattes instead of cropping, but it's still not OAR.

Too much of a coincidence. If this is a trend, it can be very bad, what with the imminent arrival of Blu-ray.

 

[Andrew Bunk]

I thank Bill Hunt for looking into this, but I'm sure he knows as well as we do this is a bull**** answer.

I am not buying anymore Lions Gate films until they correct this or show the director intended this. Period.

 

[Rich Malloy]

There have been quite a few threads on DVD TALK about various Lion's Gate films being "formatted to fit your (16x9) screen", though fortunately most have been cropped from 1.85:1. But this seems to be a new policy that Lion's Gate has adopted.

Speaking of Lion's Gate... sigh. I'm of two minds about this, because LG does distribute alot of films I like. But whether it's cutting out graphic content, dubbing foreign films into English, or cropping 'scope films down to widescreen TV dimensions, these guys are really screwing the pooch. And it's not from laziness or lack of effort, but rather an intentional move on their part to corrupt the films they distribute into what they must presume we want. I think it's safe to say they're way off base on that presumption, but it doesn't seem to be getting through to them.

I don't know if we need to present them with a bill of particulars, but if anyone at Lion's Gate is listening we don't want our movies edited for content, we don't want foreign language films redubbed into English, we don't want modified aspect ratios "formatted to fit our screens". Just give us the film, lovingly transferred as it was intended to be shown by its creator(s). That alone would be enough.

 

[Bill Hunt]

Yeah, I would agree that the answer I got from Lionsgate is less than satisifying, especially given that the film in other regions is likely going to be released at the correct 2.35 ratio. The key to cutting through this would be getting a response from Niccol himself, saying that 1.78 on DVD either was or wasn't his intention. We'll keep at it, but I'm not hopeful...

 

[EnricoE]

the problem in opening movies is a common thing for hd tv channels like hbo. films like alexander, troy are shown open matte. while this gives you more vfx on top and the bottom you loose around 5% on the sides total. not much but still sucks not to see the original intention of the film makers.
i do hope that the studios wont go the same way with high-def dvds (hd-dvd or blue-ray).

 

[PaulP]

It's really simple. Original Aspect Ratio. It's that easy... I don't understand why studios in 2006 still don't get it.