Lou for You (Lou Lumenick's NY Post columns on DVDs) (1 Viewer)

[Jon Hertzberg]

A review of THIS IS CINERAMA, looking surprisingly great on Blu-ray, and an exclusive look at October's Fox Cinema Archives releases:
http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/movies/dvd_extra_happy_th_anniversary_this_FIZoi7f1k4C622ypHl9l1O

THIS IS CINERAMA is celebrating its 60th Anniversary, no?

 

[Mike Frezon]

That's what the title (and text) to Lou's column says, Jon.

Where are you seeing something different?

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

That's what the title (and text) to Lou's column says, Jon.
Where are you seeing something different?

OK:

Those enteprising archivists at Flicker Alley are next week bringing out a superb Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with a stunning restoration of the first Cinerama feature, "This is Cinerama,'' which is celebrating its 50th anniversary -- presented in the same deeply curved "Smilebox'' format used to simulate Cinerama on Warners' release of "How the West Was Won'' (which I finally saw in its original format, and was blown away by, earlier this year as part of the TCM Classic Film Festival at the Cinemera Dome in Los Angeles, one of several theaters specifically designed to show Cinerama movies).
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/movies/dvd_extra_happy_th_anniversary_this_FIZoi7f1k4C622ypHl9l1O#ixzz26wBkKNyo

 

[Mike Frezon]

Gotcha. I saw the title and his references to 1952 and missed that one altogether.

Good catch. if you haven't already, you should seek out employment as a copy editor!

 

[Lou Lumenick]

Thanks for the kind comments. I don't have the list of Fox Cinema Archives titles through the end of the year, but I wouldn't be surprised if at least some of the titles people are asking turn up soon. Here are aspect ratios for the widescreen titles being released around Oct. 16 that i mentioned in the last column:
THE STORY ON PAGE ONE- 4:3, P/S 1.33
NIGHT PEOPLE- 4:3, P/S 1.33
THUNDER ISLAND- 4:3, 2.35 LBX
THE GURU- 4:3, 1.33 FF
THE ROCKET MAN- 4:3, 1.33 FF
THIS IS MY LIFE- 16:9, 1.85 LBX
SING BOY SING- 4:3, P/S 1.33
THE SECOND TIME AROUND- 16:9, 2.35 LBX
TAKE HER, SHE'S MINE - 4:3 FF 1.33
No information was available on THE VISIT

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Lou Lumenick /t/322306/lou-for-you-lou-lumenicks-ny-post-columns-on-dvds/60#post_3978620
Thanks for the kind comments. I don't have the list of Fox Cinema Archives titles through the end of the year, but I wouldn't be surprised if at least some of the titles people are asking turn up soon. Here are aspect ratios for the widescreen titles being released around Oct. 16 that i mentioned in the last column:
THE STORY ON PAGE ONE- 4:3, P/S 1.33
NIGHT PEOPLE- 4:3, P/S 1.33
THUNDER ISLAND- 4:3, 2.35 LBX
THE GURU- 4:3, 1.33 FF
THE ROCKET MAN- 4:3, 1.33 FF
THIS IS MY LIFE- 16:9, 1.85 LBX
SING BOY SING- 4:3, P/S 1.33
THE SECOND TIME AROUND- 16:9, 2.35 LBX
TAKE HER, SHE'S MINE - 4:3 FF 1.33
No information was available on THE VISIT

Jeez, when will these studios learn and it's 2012, just about everybody has a widescreen display now.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford /t/322306/lou-for-you-lou-lumenicks-ny-post-columns-on-dvds/60#post_3978636
Jeez, when will these studios learn and it's 2012, just about everybody has a widescreen display now.

Out of all those Fox titles I would ended up with about half of them. Now it is only one. Poor Fox and they more than likely cease their MOD program for lack of sales and not understand why there were lack of sales.

 

[Thomas T]

Here are aspect ratios for the widescreen titles being released around Oct. 16 that i mentioned in the last column:
THE STORY ON PAGE ONE- 4:3, P/S 1.33
NIGHT PEOPLE- 4:3, P/S 1.33
THUNDER ISLAND- 4:3, 2.35 LBX
THE GURU- 4:3, 1.33 FF
THE ROCKET MAN- 4:3, 1.33 FF
THIS IS MY LIFE- 16:9, 1.85 LBX
SING BOY SING- 4:3, P/S 1.33
THE SECOND TIME AROUND- 16:9, 2.35 LBX
TAKE HER, SHE'S MINE - 4:3 FF 1.33
No information was available on THE VISIT

The Spanish DVDs of Night People and Story On Page One aren't anamorphic but at least they're in the 2.35 format which is better than nothing. The German DVDs of Take Her She's Mine and The Visit are both in the anamorphic 2.35 format. Why Fox is choosing to release these titles in P&S (assuming The Visit will also be P&S) in the U.S. when wide screen versions are available elsewhere is puzzling.

 

[Mark Pytel]

That is confusing especially if there are widescreen prints available. Being a huge Jimmy Stewart fan, I really wanted Take Her She's Mine.

 

[Justin Ray]

No matter the aspect ratio, you best believe I plan to pick up Take Her, She's Mine. I've wanted this title for decades. Also, I'm a huge Debbie Reynolds buff and can't wait to get my mitts on The Second Time Around. Granted, I wish ALL MOD programs would take as much time and care as WAC, but at the end of the day, I'm just happy to have an opportunity to own copies of my favorite films

 

[DeWilson]

Out of all those Fox titles I would ended up with about half of them.  Now it is only one.  Poor Fox and they more than likely cease their MOD program for lack of sales and not understand why there were lack of sales.

Fox won't have sales issues, as I'm sure the average customer,unlike us film buffs, don't really care if a film is P/S or Widescreen. They just want to see the films and enjoy them.
What's your take on this, Lou Lumenick - do you feel the average viewer doesn't care if a film if P/S or Widescreen?

 

[Robin9]

Thanks for the kind comments. I don't have the list of Fox Cinema Archives titles through the end of the year, but I wouldn't be surprised if at least some of the titles people are asking turn up soon. Here are aspect ratios for the widescreen titles being released around Oct. 16 that i mentioned in the last column:
THE STORY ON PAGE ONE- 4:3, P/S 1.33
NIGHT PEOPLE- 4:3, P/S 1.33
THUNDER ISLAND- 4:3, 2.35 LBX
THE GURU- 4:3, 1.33 FF
THE ROCKET MAN- 4:3, 1.33 FF
THIS IS MY LIFE- 16:9, 1.85 LBX
SING BOY SING- 4:3, P/S 1.33
THE SECOND TIME AROUND- 16:9, 2.35 LBX
TAKE HER, SHE'S MINE - 4:3 FF 1.33
No information was available on THE VISIT

I would have bought Sing, Boy, Sing and The Story On Page One but not now. Hey, dumbos, you've lost a sale! Congratulations!

 

[Conrad_SSS]

Fox won't have sales issues, as I'm sure the average customer,unlike us film buffs, don't really care if a film is P/S or Widescreen. They just want to see the films and enjoy them.
What's your take on this, Lou Lumenick - do you feel the average viewer doesn't care if a film if P/S or Widescreen?

I agree that the 'average customer' doeesn't care about widescreen or P&S.....But an 'average customer' would have no interest in any of these films. Nor would they have 15 years ago........
The ONLY customer for these relatively-obscure, now mostly-forgotten films ARE film buffs. A relatively limited group of ardent film buffs.
Anyone who would want to buy these films is likely be savvy enough to know that they should at least be proper OAR, no less 16x9.
I find it beyond shocking that any company would be so ignorant of the market, and who the consumer is for these kind of films, that they would release most of them in a 4x3 format, no less in pan and scan.
It strikes me as more than ironic that the company that brought us CinemaScope, and whose pioneering work decades ago led the wide-screen revolution of the early '50s, is now so clueless.
Many of these films would be definite buys for me if they were 16x9 and proper aspect ratio. Now most are definite 'no sale' items. The only one I will (happily) purchase is "The Second Time Around", as this Debbie Reynolds/Andy Griffith film is being presented correctly. Only one of a few in the new group that is being given the proper treatment.
Very sad.

 

[Bob Cashill]

Agreed with Conrad. MOD programs began in 2009; with its cavalier attitude toward OAR the Fox MOD seems to have been conceived in 1989.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by DeWilson /t/322306/lou-for-you-lou-lumenicks-ny-post-columns-on-dvds/60#post_3978874
Fox won't have sales issues, as I'm sure the average customer,unlike us film buffs, don't really care if a film is P/S or Widescreen. They just want to see the films and enjoy them.
What's your take on this, Lou Lumenick - do you feel the average viewer doesn't care if a film if P/S or Widescreen?

Does the average buyer know about these titles? If it was not for Lou and sites such as HTF, we would have had trouble finding the titles, so I imagine the average customer has no idea about these. WAC is the only one that has reached out and advertised in magazines and created emails to push their titles along with Sony's.

If Fox wants to succeed they need to act, as Bob indicates, like they are in 2012.

 

[Brent S]

Here are aspect ratios for the widescreen titles being released around Oct. 16 that i mentioned in the last column:
THE STORY ON PAGE ONE- 4:3, P/S 1.33

Frustrating info.
1990s/early 2000s screenings of THE STORY ON PAGE ONE on Fox Movie Channel were P&S, but they upgraded to widescreen the past several years.
Even if they're just pulling recordings from their FMC shelves, haven't they kept track of what their own library has to offer? Yeah, I know... "no."

 

[PaulaJ]

Something Big (1971) is also finally getting a DVD release on October 9... and according to Amazon, it's FOOLSCREEN.
ARRRRRGGGGGH! (and it's not even Talk Like a Pirate Day)

 

[Lou Lumenick]

Today's column -- THE CROWD ROARS, THE GREAT O'MALLEY and KING OF THE UNDERWORLD
http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/movies/dvd_extra_cagney_and_hawks_roar_7nJYGdxZ9csZi9huedY3jP

 

[jansein]

I'm not a fan but I'll try watching it. Did somebody hear about tip creep? The sensation of “tip creep,” where suggested tips, i.e. tips, are increasing, or in other words, serving staff at restaurants, for instance, are recommending people tip upward of 30 percent. Some may think it is outrageous, but one has to bear in mind that wait staff do not even make minimum wage in many states

 

[jdee28]

Too bad they couldn't do more to restore and find the missing footage for The Crowd Roars (1932). At least there were able to do it with The Public Enemy (1931); but that was back when they were doing retail, box set releases. And to recover the Jean Gabin French version; that would have been a minor miracle.