News on extra TV scenes for upcoming "Halloween" DVD! (1 Viewer)

[Thomas Hart]

As the Soup-Natzi in Seinfeld would say: "You get no TV scenes, and like it!"

I just recieved an email from Michael Felsher at Anchor Bay with regards to the 12m of extra TV scenes:

Our upcoming 25th Anniversary will not include the TV scenes either integrated into the film or as a supplement. This decision was made to allow more room for all-new special features that have not been on DVD before.

Gee, I think I could have lived without the TV and radio spots, talent bios, poster and still gallery, or DVD-ROM screen savers and original screenplay on the second disc. Plus the two documentary only equal out to 97m total. Guess I still have to hang on to my Criterion disc.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

If you are that deperate to see the pointless 1981 TV cut, then it is still available on DVD from Anchor Bay.


Gordy

 

[Jon Robertson]

Indeed - I don't think I've been so bored in my entire life as watching those extra minutes of footage when I once had the 2-disc set. They are the veritable definition of the word "filler" and while they might be nice for completists' sake, I'll happily take the new high-definition transfer, 90-minute documentary and commentary instead.

Of course it isn't actually the case that Anchor Bay can't fit the extra footage onto the disc - they simply want some incentive left in the older release. Good as their releases are, they're on the same level as Disney when it comes to shamelessly re-releasing and re-packaging their own product in any number of manifestations.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Good as their releases are, they're on the same level as Disney when it comes to shamelessly re-releasing and re-packaging their own product in any number of manifestations.

Agreed, but you have to bear in mind that Anchor Bay is not a 'Big Studio', and that they rely on getting the rights to small, cult films primarily, and so popular titles like Halloween and the Evil Dead films are, well, cash-cows for them, that help them keep afloat. Of course the fitness VHS/DVDs and Thomas The Tank Engine outsell those those cash-cows easily, but the 'feature film' division on Anchor needs the sales from those cash-cows to grease the wheels.

That's the law of the digital jungle!


Gordy

 

[Arnie G]

I guess that leaves the possibility of yet another release with the TV scenes seamlessly-branched. I wish this 25 Anniv. release would have done that I didn't get the other TV version release since it's only mono.

 

[Jon Robertson]

I didn't get the other TV version release since it's only mono.

You do realise that's entirely correct and how the film was originally mixed and presented on its original release?

 

[John Hodson]

It's no big loss; the TV scenes are simply padding. I did think that would be included in the doco, but I do see the commercial imperitive that drives AB to make decisions like this - be prepared for yet another Halloween release in a couple of years time!

---
So many films, so little time...

 

[Matt Stone]

The TV scenes do indeed suck. I have them on my Criterion LD and on the AB 2-Disc LE. Definitely nothing to write home about.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Arnie, do you only buy DVDs that are 5.1?

The Chace remix of Halloween does not really 'add' anything to the nice, fat original mono, well, apart from the new digitally-recorded thunderclaps at the start. Basically, there isn't much you can do with the original tracks and stems of a low-budget 1978 film that the original mono didn't/can't do. There are exceptions, of course, but on the whole, mono is good. High-bitrate Dolby 2.0 stereo would be just fine for Halloween, if only for the score.


Gordy

 

[Chad R]

Yes, I do. I've seen them and don't care to see them again. Can't wait to see the new transfer and new doc though.

 

[Arnie G]

On Halloween I like the 5.1 mix better. The thunder does sound cool, especially after hearing it one way for so many years.

This will be my 3rd time buying this movie on DVD, plus I have the Laserdisc. I guess I'll keep buying this one as long as there is some new content or upgrade of some kind.:b

Is this Divimax line supposed to be a Superbit clone?

 

[Kevin M]

The Chace remix of Halloween does not really 'add' anything to the nice, fat original mono, well, apart from the new digitally-recorded thunderclaps at the start. Basically, there isn't much you can do with the original tracks and stems of a low-budget 1978 film that the original mono didn't/can't do.

Also the music used for the 5.1 mix is actually from the studio re-recorded re-mixed soundtrack album from 1983 and does not sound quite the same as the original mix on the mono track.
Compare the Main Title theme mixes and you can hear the difference. I'll take the original.

 

[Brian W.]

Thomas, you do know the TV scenes were written and shot specifically for TV, several years after the production wrapped, don't you? I don't think the scenes were even in the original script.

And what do you mean about having to hold on to the Criterion disc? What's wrong with the extended Halloween DVD from Anchor Bay? That has the whole TV cut in it, widescreen anamorphic, too, and it's still in print.

 

[Joshua_W]

Gee, wouldn't it have been nice if Anchor Bay had included the television cut on their last release (the THX one) of Halloween instead of that unneeded pan and scan version?

Talk about wasting valuable space on the DVD...

 

[Matt Stone]

Talk about wasting valuable space on the DVD...

They probably could have fit in the extra TV shots w/seamless branching even with the inclusion of the P&S version.

Either way, I don't really care, since the TV version is worthless to me.

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

Gee, wouldn't it have been nice if Anchor Bay had included the television cut on their last release (the THX one) of Halloween instead of that unneeded pan and scan version?

The television cut was on the 2nd disc of the limited edition.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Gee, wouldn't it have been nice if Anchor Bay had included the television cut on their last release (the THX one) of Halloween instead of that unneeded pan and scan version?

As Matthew says, the 2-disc (still available in Britain, if you're interested) had the TV cut. But as you say, the pan and scan version was on the same DVD-9 as the anamorphic version. So... that was two 93 minutes worth of video, plus a 28-minute documentary = 214 minutes of video + DD5.1 sound.

I'm really looking forward to reading reviews of this new edition, and even more eager to see it for myself!


Gordy

 

[Enrique B Chamorro]

Now I am lost!!!
I have the US R1 Limited Edition 2 disc set.
Disc 1 have the original cut of the movie and
Disc 2 has the TV parts cut back into the movie.

I have some questions.

1) Is there a better version (picture and sound)
of the original edit than the one in the 2 disc set?

2) is there a better version (picture and sound)
of the modified TV version than the one in the 2 disc set?

3) Will the new, new Special Edition really just
contain extra bonus material?
(Does that bonus material include the Carpenter
commentary track from the Criterion laserdisc?)

Thanks, but this is as confusing as the Evil Dead versions!

 

[Prentice Cotham]

Enrique,

1) Yes, when the 25th Anniversary edition is released

2) No

3) Well, it has better picture, remixed sound, and all new extras and the commentary.