Paramount vs Warner Bros 'My Fair Lady" DVD (1 Viewer)

[Greg_M]

any differences between the new Paramount "My Fair Lady" DVD and Warner Bros older DVD? According to the packaging, It looks like the same material was carried over (I would guess the Paramount logo now replaces Warners and the Copyright warning comes at the beginning)

 

[Mike Frezon]

This is something I was wondering about, too. Good question, Greg!

I knew there was a new release on DVD. But I didn't know why.

 

[ahollis]

The only reason for the release is that the film now belongs to CBS/Paramount and they want it out on their label. They should have worked on a Blu-ray release and made the rights change special, but this is Paramount and we will see at least two more standard DVD releases of this film before there is a thought of Blu-ray. My crystal ball says there is a new Audrey Hepburn collection coming.

 

[Garysb]

The film has been owned by CBS, Inc. since seven years after the film was released by Warner Bros. CBS financed the stage production. Part of the deal for the movie rights was that the film reverted to CBS seven years after its release. For whatever reason, CBS made a deal with Warner Bros. to release the film on DVD. That deal expired in August and now Paramount is releasing the film. What is odd is that Paramount had the VHS rights at the time the first single disk DVD came out. So the VHS was on one label but the DVD on another. They used the same cover, which was from the ad for the restoration theatrical release, with a large image of Audrey Hepburn and a smaller image of Rex Harrison.

 

[Jim*Tod]

A large format film like MY FAIR LADY should look incredible on blu ray, but I am sure some major work needs to be done before that can happen. The standard dvd releases were only fair. I am assuming this new Paramount dvd is the same old transfer. If not, someone please let me know.

 

[trajan]

The current dvd is from 35mm sources. What we need for bluray is a 70mm transfer with the correct aspect ratio of 2:20.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

Originally Posted by ahollis

My crystal ball says there is a new Audrey Hepburn collection coming.

There has to be. I mean, I don't think there's a single Hepburn movie out on blu-ray yet.

As for the Paramount release of My Fair Lady... if it's the same transfer as the last WB Version, this DVD is kind of worthless. The last WB release was 2 discs, had a lot of extras... I don't remember there being much in the way of extra content on this single disc Paramount release.

 

[MatthewA]

I don't think this film has been run through a telecine since the old WB DVD came out in 1998. With the new advances in large format transfers, a 4k scan from the restoration negative could be, well...Wouldn't it be loverly?

 

[Eric Vedowski]

Originally Posted by ahollis

My crystal ball says there is a new Audrey Hepburn collection coming.

There is indeed. In the November Costco magazine: Audrey - Couture Muse Collection, seven (or eight) DVDs packaged in a hatbox with 10 designer cards. Also shown are a "Charlie Chan - The International Investigator" Box, "Marilyn - The Premiere Collection" and a Shirley Temple box. It doesn't give any specifics.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Eric:

Just saw your avatar (well if I squint my eyes I can just about make it out--but that's another rant for another day). Anyway...thought I'd point this out to you (although rather off-topic):



Here's more.

 

[Eric Vedowski]

Thanks for the link, pretty funny, especially The Beverly Hillbillies Have Eyes.

 

[Mike Frezon]

 

[avoidz]

From my own experience, the new Paramount/CBS DVD is a real disappointment. Not only is the picture quality inferior (by at least a gigabyte less data on the disc itself), but the main English audio track which was previously 5.1 is now in MONO only. Source the original 2004 Warner Bros. 2-disc set instead.