New Apocalypse Now DVD set this year? (1 Viewer)

[Duncan_N]

http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/RCS/3-/1... 7&P36=3SXJXF

 

[mattEarl]

So can someone please shed some light on the actual transfers being used? I can appreciate the passion surrounding the debate over aspect ratio's, but I'm more concerned with the actual print quality than it's ratio. I would love to confirm that the theatrical cut has been given a new transfer using the same process used to created the Redux print (some type of dye process?) The Redux print looks beautiful to my eyes, the Redux "film" however isn't as strong as the origional cut.

 

[oscar_merkx]

First review I found

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=22951

The main attraction here is Francis Ford Coppola's involving, candid and revealing commentary track; it's an absolute joy to listen to Papa Coppola hold forth, with hardly a moment's pause, about a film he's palpably quite proud of. The theatrical cut is preceded by a two minute, 50 second intro from Coppola (filmed, interestingly enough, on the set of his latest film, Youth Without Youth), in which he explains how he came to the project. It's slightly misleading how his commentary is being billed as a track for each film, since his "Redux" commentary is the exact same track for Apocalypse Now, but with "Redux"-specific anecdotes seamlessly spliced in (a la Billy Bob Thornton's recent Sling Blade: Director's Cut commentary). Nevertheless, it's a fascinating listen and should be required for any fan of the film. The "Redux" cut is preceded by a four minute Coppola introduction and in lieu of an insert denoting new footage, a small onscreen icon appears (when selected beforehand) when viewing "Redux," alerting you to reinstated scenes/sequences.

But where is Hearts of Darkness ?

 

[GuruAskew]

and the countdown to the inevitable "the film is split up?" bitchfest begins NOW

 

[Jon Robertson]

I suspect you're right, but surely the 2-disc intermission thing has been blazingly obvious all along?

 

[Steve Christou]

I'm looking forward to quadriple-dipping on my favorite Vietnam epic but how can they call it the "Complete Dossier" when the greatest movie documentary of them all, Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse, isn't included? At least release the damn thing seperately on DVD alongside this set! What a missed opportunity!

And they couldn't find room for the 3 minute "Destruction of the Kurtz Compound" available on a previous DVD? [shakes head] Still, it's only £10.99 inc postage, it'll do until the 'even more complete' Napalm Edition eventually arrives.

 

[Patrick H.]

Somebody at Paramount needs to take a hint from Warner and Fox when it comes to compiling these "Ultimate" or "Complete" editions, and stop dropping extras from the previous versions! If Coppola doesn't want 'Hearts of Darkness' on there, I can rationalize that. However, the compound destruction footage? The trailers? C'mon!

As the original version of the movie is my favorite, I'll hold onto that disc and its extras, and get this as a companion instead of a replacement. That way I can still opt to watch the movie without a disc break.

 

[Peter Neski]

Just watching the only 2.35:1 Film Storaro ever did on Video"Ladyhawk"
While its Not AN in anyway,"JUST LOOK HOW MUCH BETTER THE FRAME LOOKS!" tables and stuff in the background cropped off is bad enough
but The Frame size just looks better

 

[JayHM]

How come the DVDTalk review says the aspect ratio is 2.20:1? Is this a typo? The two previous releases were 2.0:1. Are we actually going to get more image this time around?

 

[andySu]

I get slightly depressed when watching this film knowing the sides have been cropped and robbing us all of the whole image, when is a widescreen film a widescreen?

 

[Jean-Michel]

 

[Elijah Sullivan]

I'm pretty confused about the way the discs are split up.

Both cuts on the same disc - with the second half of each on disc two?

How is seamless branching possible, when both films are edited 100% differently? It's like saying, "We're putting two different movies on the first disc with seamless branching!"

Clearly they are not. So which cut are they really including? Is Redux with a shortened version standing in for the original cut?

It they did put two cuts on the same disc without branching, they must look like garbage - except the reviews indicate very nice picture quality.

Yes, I am confused!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

The set doesn't use seamless branching - these are two different transfers.

Part of 1979 appears on DVD One, part of 1979 appears on DVD Two. Part of "Redux" appears on DVD One, part of "Redux" appears on DVD Two. Why not put all of 1979 on DVD One and all of "Redux" on DVD Two - or vice versa? No idea, but the set definitely does NOT use seamless branching. They're very definitely different transfers.

 

[Elijah Sullivan]

My only remaining question is: WHY?!?!!?!!

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

I'm not quite sure I understand what you are trying to put across, but for the record, Storaro has shot the following films in a 2.35:1 format:

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970, Dario Argento; all DVD editions are 2.35:1 - Blue Underground transfer was approved by Storaro)
Apocalypse Now (DVD is 2.00:1)
Tucker: The Man and His Dream (DVD is 2.00:1)
Ladyhawk (DVD is 2.35:1)
Little Buddha (DVD is 2.35:1 non-anamorphic)
The Last Emperor (all DVD editions are 2.35:1)

 

[Peter Neski]

Your right ,I should have said Anamorphic video in 2.35:1,thats what I
thinking of,Because I was watching a 16x9 letterboxed image of ladyhawk
on the HDNet channel
And it looked great.Unlike that strange frame that AN is cropped too.
Tucker is cropped and I wonder if he did a new Last Emperor if storaro
would crop it.
As for Storaro,he is the greatest,and a lot of his films have pretty poor
dvds,Tango is so so and thats one of the Better ones,
Spiders &The Comformist are two of his best films and theres no dvds,
1900 is said to be in the works,but I will belive it when I see the cover!
Luna is also not out yet,
The last Emperor is out in pal,anyone know if its any good?

 

[Dharmesh C]

The DVDTALK review has convinced me not to buy this set until it's selling cheap. No new interviews with the cast? Where's the beefy new documentary like something 'Charlie De Laurizka' would do?

A little disappointed, I already own two versions of the film...

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Yeah, I can accept the lack of the Hearts of Darkness, but having no interviews with Sheen, Duvall, et al is a big disappointment. It is inevitable that a superior HD set will eventually come along, though. Coppola and Aubry are definitely holding back, I feel, but the set does have some tasty extras; the commentary alone is probably worth handing over the folding stuff.

 

[Peter Neski]

DVDFile has a review up of the new set,while its cropped ,and dosn't have
Heart of Darkness(Which did come out on laser)it still looks pretty great
I guess all the outtakes will be cropped too.

 

[Curt_B]

a beautiful 16:9 enhanced 2:35 version of LADYHAWKE can be had from FOX in S Korea(R3)