Question re: Don McKellar's LAST NIGHT (1 Viewer)

[Cynthia]

Does anyone know the original aspect ratio of Last Night? I'm a big fan of Don McKellar, but I'm hesitant to order the DVD because it's full frame.

 

[Doug D]

It's either 1.66:1 or 1.85:1, can't remember.

Either way, the R1 is a botch job full screen. Too bad, because otherwise I'd own it. Great film.

 

[Michael Warner]

Like Doug said (can't remember specifically the AR but it sure wasn't 2.35:1). The DVD appears to be open-matte but the transfer quality isn't all that great either. I liked the movie but soon parted with the DVD.

 

[Michael Reuben]

The DVD appears to be open-matte but the transfer quality isn't all that great either.

I wish that were so, but it's obviously cropped. The trailer is letterboxed, and the cropping at the sides is obvious when you compare the same scene in the trailer and the film.
M.

 

[Ted Todorov]

I wish that were so, but it's obviously cropped. The trailer is letterboxed, and the cropping at the sides is obvious when you compare the same scene in the trailer and the film.

Talk about adding insult to injury: OAR trailer, P&S film.
I'm beginning to detect a very distressing trend: art/indie/foreign films are MORE likely to be Pan&Scam only than major studio movies (other recent examples include The Scent of Green Papaya, Ginger Snaps, etc.)
This really puzzles me, because J6P isn't likely to touch these DVDs with a barge pole. Just who do the imbeciles who perpetrated them think their audience is? It certainly isn't a money saving measure, because it costs money to Pan & Scan. DVD industry execs who decide to put out Pan & Scan art films are candidates for the moron of the year award.
Ted
P.S. I really like Last Night and my initial reaction to seeing a thread about it was: Great, it must be out on DVD, I'll pick it up! Not anymore -- another lost sale for them...

 

[Andrew Walsh]

It's pretty clear what happened to Last Night, as well as many other Alliance Atlantis releases. When they made their VHS P&S versions, they used the same transfer for the DVD to save money. They assumed they were doing the world a favor for releasing these films on DVD in any form. I've sent letters to AA, but have never recieved a reply. Since Last Night probably sold poorly due to its mangled format, they assumed it was just poor demand and will never do a proper release. Other titles they've destroyed include Run Lola Run (later rectified when the import outsold the domestic), Croupier, and New Waterford Girl. They seem to be getting better, but until they correct the aforementioned titles, they're on my hit list.

 

[Ted Todorov]

When they made their VHS P&S versions, they used the same transfer for the DVD to save money.

Doesn't it occur to them that they can release the VHS in widescreen and thus use the same transfer for both and save the exact same amount of money?? (Save even more money really, because they don't need to spend time on the Pan & SCan process.) Are they really so stupid as to think the intended audience for something like The New Waterford Girl (a really, really great movie BTW) would object to letterboxing? I'm STILL waiting for a proper release of Croupier as well.
Ted

 

[Marc Colella]

Since Last Night probably sold poorly due to its mangled format, they assumed it was just poor demand and will never do a proper release.

Maybe Criterion or Plexifilm should acquire the rights to release this film since Alliance doesn't appear to be interested in a re-release.
Last Night deserves much better treatment than it's receieved.

 

[Doug D]

well, Universal was responsible for the domestic release of LAST NIGHT. I think they also MAR'd METROLAND right around the same time.

 

[Rob W]

Andrew, Alliance had nothing to do with RUN LOLA RUN in Canada. It is a Seville release.

 

[SteveGon]

This sounds like an interesting movie - I'll have to check it out. Anyone here see Highway 61 which McKellar wrote and starred in?