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Miramax/Buena Vista - Heavenly Creatures full frame? (1 Viewer)

DustinDavis

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Dec 26, 1999
Messages
171
Miramax/Buena Vista,

Recent news at the DVDFile.com site states:

Alas, while both Swingers and The Grifters look great, the Heavenly Creatures specs are a real disappointment. The film will be presented in full frame only and English 2.0 Dolby surround, with no extras aside from trailers. Let's hope Buena Vista comes to their senses, cancels this release, and produces the special edition this film really deserves. Sigh.
Surely this cannot be true. A repress of the existing DVD available in Canada is simply not acceptable. Does this qualify as a family title that would, according to previous statements, warrant a full-frame transfer? Do you think that long lines of non-film lovers who do not care about the aspect ratio of a film will be lining up to buy this title? And do you think that film lovers will line up to buy a cropped film?

I certainly hope this is a mistake in reporting on DVDFile.com's part. You can be certain that I will not buy this title if it is not in the original aspect ratio, and I expect many others to refrain as well.

Please tell me that you are not taking the easy way out by just packaging the existing DVD for sale in the United States. Please tell me that this fine film will not be ruined with yet another poor treatment. Please tell me that you are listening to your film-loving customers.

Signed, A Film Lover
 

Alex Spindler

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2000
Messages
3,971
So let me see. You have a critically acclaimed film that gave us a dramatic Peter Jackson film (you may have heard of him. He has a couple of films out) and introduced Kate Winslet to the world.
You may as well stop production. I am actively telling people not to buy this title. This has to stop!
 

Ben Motley

Supporting Actor
Joined
Mar 3, 2001
Messages
738
Disney, this isn't right guys. Not good at all. I've been waiting for a proper release of this for a lonnnnnnggggg time, and here we get this? No, I will not buy it if it's not OAR. It's as simple as that. If I would, I would have bought the currently available disc already, which I had no qualms whatsoever from refusing to do. I have no problem in leaving your product to gather dust on retail shelves as well.

Now,if this has been an innocent oversight, please work to correct it. If this has been a conscious decision, then I just can't understand how you could come to such a consumer unfriendly conclusion, and have no other choice but to educate my fellow movie fans of the transgression and campaign against this release. And, of course, if the specs listed are wrong and the release will be anamorphically enhanced to the correct (2.35:1 I believe it is), and this "issue" has been brought about by misinformation, then I'll certainly but it, and work to promote the release enthusiastically through word of mouth and online communication, as I do with all releases that I'm interested in that deserve recognition.

Please, in some way, try to respond to our concerns soon.
 

Paul-Gunther

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
May 23, 2002
Messages
146
I agree. I've been waiting for an SE of Heavenly Creatures for years, and for this to happen is a slap in the face. This better be a mistake. If not, then Disney is losing my money.
 

Tyler Ruggeri

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Feb 22, 1999
Messages
74
Heavenly Creatures is by far one of my favorite films, and I hope you guys at Disney know the results of releasing a film like this in pan and scan. A movie like this has a loyal fan base, and NONE of them are going to buy this if it isn't in the original aspect ratio. NONE. Despite the success of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films, I doubt anyone but Heavenly Creatures fans will actively seek this out or consider anything more than renting it. I don't care about extras, but by releasing this pan and scan you are just asking to lose money. You've certainly lost mine.

Tyler Ruggeri
 

Matt Shiv

Agent
Joined
Jul 4, 2002
Messages
36
"Heavenly Creatures" is one of my all time favorite films. I had hoped that when the dvd was announced that it might include some of the scenes from the extended NZ version that I've always read about. Instead, we're being told that it's going to be full frame only with trailers.
In high school, after seeing this film 4 times at my local art-house theater, I bought the movie on laserdisc. I didn't even HAVE a laserdisc player...but my uncle did and I bought it so that I could watch the movie again in widescreen as the cinematography is tremendous.
Last year, I excitingly ordered the Canadian dvd of this film and when it arrived in full frame, I sold it immediately. This is a title that deserves to be seen in the way it was filmed and you are not going to lose a lot of purchases if a pan-and-scan only dvd is issued.
I have cancelled my pre-order tonight after reading this release announcement. It appears as though many other fans have done the same thing. If this disc is released in full frame only, you have certainly lost my sale.
:thumbsdown:
 

Ben Motley

Supporting Actor
Joined
Mar 3, 2001
Messages
738
Folks, this may be a big hoo hah over nothing. Several, and and mean several, different online retailers have this listed as 2.35:1 anamorphic, and HTF member Greg_S_H reports that Laser's Edge and Image Entertainment both have it as 2.35:1. Maybe Buena Vista's public relations department got it wrong, and gave DVDFile some bogus information. I sure hope that's the case.
 

Douglas Bailey

Second Unit
Joined
May 7, 2001
Messages
379
Location
Massachusetts, USA
Real Name
Douglas Bailey
So do I, but at this point the onus is on them to make the release specs clear. Given that BV has released other films to DVD in MAR, I'm not inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt.
I'm not ruling the DVD out -- I'd love to have this film -- but I have cancelled my pre-ordered copy. If BV comes back and says the "full-frame" announcement was an error and that the DVD is actually going to be in anamorphic widescreen, I'll be rushing to reinstate that pre-order. But if it remains a 1.33:1 MAR release, I'll stay away and advise others to do the same.
doug
 

GregoryP

Supporting Actor
Joined
Dec 2, 1998
Messages
590
I am a huge fan of Peter Jackson's work and I was very excited about being able to own Heavenly Creatures on DVD, but without an anamorphic widescreen transfer I will not be purchasing this title.

Gregory
 

MartEvans

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
93
I'm outraged by this as I recently (within the last month) sold on my old bare bones version of this in anticipation of the rumoured SE coming this fall... I didn't like the old version as obviously it was P&S and an awful transfer but it was still better than nothing... Now I don't have a copy and I'll be arsed if I'm buying the exact same disc again which from the specs is exactly that.
 

Lyle_JP

Screenwriter
Joined
Oct 5, 2000
Messages
1,009
Note to Disney:
I will not buy a Pan and Scan DVD of a 2.35:1 film EVER! Especially one filmed as beautifully as "Heavenly Creatures". This is a stunningly visual film that can only be experienced properly in its Original Aspect Ratio. Don't bother releasing this film at all if you plan on angering and offending the core fans of the film. It will be a waste of your resources.

-Lyle J.P
 

SteveGon

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2000
Messages
12,250
Real Name
Steve Gonzales
I certainly hope this is a mistake. I was planning on buying Heavenly Creatures, but will ONLY do so if it is presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. No pan and scan for me. :)
 

Chuck Parker

Agent
Joined
Mar 14, 1999
Messages
43
If the specs reported are genuine, I will not be purchasing this DVD release of Heavenly Creatures.

I have been anticipating the release of this wonderful (and beautifully shot) film for years, though I will not purchase a release that does not include the film in it's original aspect ratio.
 

Mark Hammon

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jan 14, 2001
Messages
75
This title was on my list to buy. In reading that it will be released Pan & Scan I have removed it from my list. Why not appease everyone and put both versions on the same disc?

Once again the people who helped put DVD on the map have been slapped in the face.
 

DustinDavis

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Dec 26, 1999
Messages
171
Well, that seems to be the case. Thank goodness, and thanks BV. Let's try and be a little more careful with release info, I almost had a heart attack from this one.
 

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