Shawshank delay (1 Viewer)

[Lee_eel]

Does anyone know of a planned release for this movie in 2003 please? I own the original region 2 disc which in all honesty is poor to say the least. Why can't studios re-release titles that they messed up with in the first place. Shawshank is a class film and deserves a class transfer and some decent extras. (i would settle for a suberbit like transfer with no extras though)

 

[Mark*Will]

Agreed. I have this on my "waiting to buy" list, but only when/if it's released as a special edition.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I have this on my "waiting to buy" list, but only when/if it's released as a special edition.

Given Darabont's apparent dislike of extras, it's probably a mistake to wait for an SE. The current one has a good transfer (as I recall - it's been a while) and is cheap - why wait for something that may never come?

 

[Carlo_M]

I too am in the group that thinks this may be the last and only iteration of this film on DVD. Mr. Darabont isn't a fan of extras as Colin says, and the current DVD is a good anamorphic transfer of the film. It stands up to current releases, and isn't like one of the "first 50" that Warner had that have now been exposed as poor transfers (but were fine by 1997 standards).

Between HTF, File and Bits, someone would probably have broken the news on a 10 year anniversary version if one was in the works, and so far not a word.

 

[Glenn_Jn]

I just watched this on HDTV a couple of days ago. It looked REALLY nice.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Isn't there a Japanese edition with DTS?


Gordy

 

[Qui-Gon John]

Is the current one Anamorphic? I forget.

 

[Tommy G]

Yes it is. I am also one who thinks the transfer is pretty darn good. I watched it not too long ago.

 

[Patrick McCart]

My stepfather has the DVD and it looks excellent. The colors are subdued, but that's how the film is supposed to look. Of course, it's 1.78:1 anamorphic and has Dolby Digital 5.1.

 

[Haden]

I want one with seamless branching featuring the extended cut that has been show on Cinemax and Showtime in the past. It has 30+ additional minutes of great character development scenes. I've never seen it myself, but would love to, even if those additional scenes were only included seperately on the DVD as extras.

 

[Matthew_Millheiser]

Until the DVD can stand up, slap me on the ass, and scream "Grab yer dance shoes, Betty!!", I'm gonna wait for that Special Edition.

I really wish studios would get it right the first time.

 

[Joshua Moran]

Matthew Warner Bros. Held this DVD for 2 years before bringing it out. The director hates extras. We will probably never see a Special Edition of this film. Unless something changes in the contract or copyrights.

 

[Carlo_M]

I really wish studios would get it right the first time.

Okay, you have a very good anamorphic transfer of a great print of the film, and a director who doesn't like to do Special Editions of films. What did the studio do wrong?

FWIW, I spoke directly with the director during a signing day at Dave's Laser Place (RIP) and he seemed to be pleased with both Shawshank and The Green Mile. Didn't have anything untoward to say about the releases and definitely didn't seem to indicate he was itching to release a new version.

And lastly, WB is well known for putting SE content on DVDs. They are also well known for double-dipping (i.e. releasing multiple versions of DVDs for a movie). This is now one of their most loved films and popular current films(I know it only made 18mil in the theaters but has exploded on home video). If Mr. Darabont wanted an SE, I would think that WB would be all over it!

Now if anyone here knows otherwise that 1) supplementary material does exist, and 2) the director wants it out there then please by all means step forward (and provide some measure of proof). Oh, and if the original DVD were bad (which it ain't) that would also be an argument.

Just don't understand where WB screwed up on this one...

 

[Glenn_Jn]

Well there was a documentary made by Channel 4 in the UK, called Shawshank: The Redeeming Feature, hosted by Mark Kermode (who also did the one on the old Exorcist DVD and the excellent doc for Blade Runner which should be on the new SE). They could include this. While I agree that the present DVD is alright I think it still deserves the SE treatment that other WB films have received lately. I don't see what Frank Darabont's opinion about DVD has to do with it. If they were going to change the movie in some way I could see why he might get upset. But if it's just a matter of remastering and adding a few extras what does it matter to him. If he doesn't want to do a commentary, fine I don't see any problem with that (I doubt I'd ever listened to it anyway) A Morgan Freeman/Tim Robbins commentary would be better anyway.
I think that with the kind of reverence that is bestowed on this movie, from both critics and the public, a SE is inevitable at some point in the future

 

[Brett_B]

And you're sure this exists? I looked on IMDB's alternate versions link and they mention none of this. Also I have seen the movie on at least one premium channel (can't remember if it was HBO, Cinemax or what) and never seen this footage. If you have a link to somewhere that shows or tells what this extra footage is, we'd all love to see/read it!

I think Haden may actually be referring to the theatrical cut of the film. I know when "Shawshank Redemption" is shown on network television, they edit the film for time.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Yep a great looking and sounding disc! To wait for an SE which is tenuous at best - when there is a perfectly good presentation of the movie already available is to deny yourself the opportunity to view this at your leisure whenever you so desire.

Plus it's goes for around $15 nowadays.

 

[Carlo_M]

While I agree that the present DVD is alright I think it still deserves the SE treatment that other WB films have received lately. I don't see what Frank Darabont's opinion about DVD has to do with it.

That's nice that you think that way, but maybe the director of the film should have more say? And it's not that Mr. Darabont doesn't like DVD (as your post intimates) but that he is not a big fan of extras. You see there are a couple of schools of thought on extras (and if you read DVD File's interview w/ Bryan Singer he mentions this). There's the kind that wants the film to stand on its own, and sees too many "extras" and behind-the-scenes stuff as akin to a magician giving away his secrets. Then there's the other that like to treat DVDs as a "film school in a can" where they pile so much stuff in there you could almost recreate the movie from all the information they include. If Mr. Darabont wants this beautiful film to stand on its own why second guess him? And Warner put out a great transfer of the film and now they're at fault? Whatever happened to the movie being the most important part of the film? If the talent didn't want extras should the studio FORCE them to have it?

But, finally, if the film is not strong enough on its own merits to get you to buy it for $15 or less, and you require extras in order to justify purchasing a DVD of it, then by all means wait for an SE that may never come...

 

[Matthew_Millheiser]

Umm guys.... I was being more than a little sarcastic.

"Get your dance shoes, Betty"...? Come on!!

 

[Glenn_Jn]

So Frank Darabont thinks that having extras on a DVD is "akin to a magician giving away his secrets" Well hello Frank!!! the movie industry has been giving away it's "secrets" for decades. We know all the secrets already. If he really does feel this way then why did he participate in the Channel 4 documentary about the movie? I don't mind going on TV and giving away my secrets I just don't want them on the DVD ???
As for waiting for the SE, I'm not. I have the current R2 disc which has both the fullframe and anamorphic widescreen versions. Neither of which I would classify as outstanding. I haven't seen the R1 version so I can't comment on it, but unless they used a much better element or did some restoration I can't see it being much better. I guess some peoples standards are higher than others.

 

[Chad R]

Never say never.

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