MGM classic films get video-on-demand release (1 Viewer)

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Bill:N

Two for the Seesaw is enhanced for widescreen. (Except for the opening titles).

Not my copy.

3/25/10 Edit - Went back last night and checked it again. The entire film is letterboxed but non-anamorphic. There are black bars on the sides through the whole film.

 

[Mark Edward Heuck]

Originally Posted by Bob Cashill

I'm very curious about that as well! I had never previously known that alternate title even existed. I wonder if perhaps that was something Roger Corman came up with before the U.S. release of the film.

I'm also a little surprised that MGM is releasing this one. I know that they had lost the theatrical rights to almost all their UA Truffauts - MK2 has quietly licensed THE WILD CHILD, SMALL CHANGE, and MISSSISSIPPI MERMAID to tiny distributor The Film Desk. Maybe they're exploiting this window while they still can.

 

[Richard Gallagher]

I'm excited to see season one of HIGHWAY PATROL on the list. It's a pretty realistic police drama from the fifties, starring Broderick Crawford. I never expected to see this come out with decent transfers (there are plenty of bootlegs out there, and the ones I have seen are in pretty bad shape).

 

[ahollis]

I went for it and I am disappointed. I received Valentino, The Glory Guys, The Best Man, The Whispers, The Landlord, and The Caretakers yesterday. First the good news is that the transfers are all in good shape with The Landlord being a little soft, but colors are sharp and the black and white films (The Whispers and The Caretakers) are also pretty crisp.

Now the bad news, only Valentino and The Landlord were anamorphic. The Glory Guys while letterboxed had the black bars on the top, bottom and sides. The same with The Caretakers and The Whispers. Not sure about the Best Man, for it will not play.

Could someone explain why in this day, dvd's are still released non-anamorphic. Is it that hard to do? If they can transfer Valentino and The Landlord correctly, why not the rest.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by ahollis

I went for it and I am disappointed. I received Valentino, The Glory Guys, The Best Man, The Whispers, The Landlord, and The Caretakers yesterday. First the good news is that the transfers are all in good shape with The Landlord being a little soft, but colors are sharp and the black and white films (The Whispers and The Caretakers) are also pretty crisp.

Now the bad news, only Valentino and The Landlord were anamorphic. The Glory Guys while letterboxed had the black bars on the top, bottom and sides. The same with The Caretakers and The Whispers. Not sure about the Best Man, for it will not play.

Could someone explain why in this day, dvd's are still released non-anamorphic. Is it that hard to do? If they can transfer Valentino and The Landlord correctly, why not the rest.

Which is the reason why I haven't bought "The White Buffalo" because I'm not sure it's anamorphic.





Crawdaddy

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford




Which is the reason why I haven't bought "The White Buffalo" because I'm not sure it's anamorphic.





Crawdaddy

I learned my lesson twice. I will now wait for what other people have to say.

 

[Bob Cashill]

THE BEST MAN is another good-shape, non-anamorphic transfer.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford




Which is the reason why I haven't bought "The White Buffalo" because I'm not sure it's anamorphic.





Crawdaddy

I will let you know, I have that on order also, but have not received yet. I should any day now according to tracking.

I also agree with Bob that the transfer on THE BEST MAN is very good and the film really gets your attention and holds it through out. The performances are spectacular with Lee Tracy as a former President and the great Ann Southern giving out advice to the candidates on how to get the women's vote. Since the play and film are centered in the early 60's race comes up during the film and actually helps the film to become a small snapshot of the era. I just wish this was an anamorphic transfer. I am not too sure who to complain to, MGM or Amazon. Either way, I feel it would fall on deaf ears.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Bob Cashill

THE BEST MAN is another good-shape, non-anamorphic transfer.

Did you have problems with THE BEST MAN. Amazon removed it from in stock to will let you know when it is available due to complaints of problems from purchasers. My copy played fine, but did have problems starting up at first.

 

[Bob Cashill]

No problems.

 

[Charles H]

i had problems with THE BEST MAN (and THE OFFENCE). They sent me replacement copies. THE OFFENCE was fine, but THE BEST MAN froze at the 48 minute mark just as the previous copy did. Customer Service said they had other complaints. THE BEST MAN is a genuine classic and they should have brought it out ages ago. I'm hoping we get SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL, THE SATAN BUG, THE 7TH DAWN, 12 ANGRY MEN (Jack Lemmon), TOMORROW IS FOREVER, A CHILD IS WAITING, THE HORNET'S NEST, LAST EMBRACE, GOODBYE AGAIN, THAT MAN FROM RIO, NOT AS A STRANGER, JOHNNY CONCHO, THE OUTSIDE MAN, BY LOVE POSSESSED, CALL ME BWANA, ACT OF LOVE, 5 MILES TO MIDNIGHT, THE DEVIL'S DISCIPLE, and PARIS BLUES.....preferably on a playable dvd.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford




Which is the reason why I haven't bought "The White Buffalo" because I'm not sure it's anamorphic.





Crawdaddy

WHITE BUFFALO is anamorphic and a good transfer. You should have no problems.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Thanks Allen, dvd ordered.






Crawdaddy

 

[Bob Cashill]

HOUSE OF THE LONG SHADOWS is, disappointingly, fullscreen (like it says on the box, but I was hoping for a mistake).

 

[ahollis]

I see that Amazon has removed THE BEST MAN from the list of titles. I know that there were a lot of discs that went out that had problems with it stoping 48 minutes into the film.
Also all the other titles are listed as "In Stock" except the TV shows.

 

[Bob Cashill]

THE BEST MAN is expected to be back in stock in early June.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Bob Cashill

THE BEST MAN is expected to be back in stock in early June.

Thanks for the info maybe they can fix the problem and release it anamorphic.

 

[Professor Echo]

As was mentioned earlier, those who get the fantastic MGM HD Channel and have a DVD recorder can get most, if not all, of these titles on DVD-Rs in true ANAMORPHIC widescreen. The only thing you have to put up with is a MGM HD logo on screen and some films are shown with one interruption in the middle, but careful editing when copying the film from a DVR onto a DVD-R can eliminate that. The sat signal from DIRECTV offers amazing clarity.

If the studios are going to offer a product that may not even be marginally better than homemade, then I'm happy to settle for genuine homemade.

 

[ahollis]

The Gallant Hours and 8 On The Lamb are widescreen anamorphic, Cold Turkey is widescreen non-anamorphic, House of Long Shadows is a full screen transfer. The worst is Fitzwilly which while anamorphic, it was filmed 2:35 to 1 Panavision, the presentation is more like 2 to 1 with the main titles cut off on the sides. I can not believe that anyone would release a DVD like this. Cold Turkey is a disappointment in that the transfer is pretty good but it should have been anamorphic. House of Long Shadows is the worst of the bunch, in that not only is a full screen transfer, should have been widescreen anamorphic, but the transfer used is on the tired side.

 

[ajabrams]

Does anyone know if it is difficult to release a film in anamorphic format? Does it involve any prohibitive costs to the distributor? Is that the reason these films aren't being released that way--or is it oversight or just "not caring?" I am curious to know. Whatever the reason, it's sure infuriating!!