The Man Who Wasn't There... (1 Viewer)

[Daniel P]

Which version is best to get?

The US version will include all extra features, be presented in widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1.

The Canadian version is rumoured (but un-confirmed) to be in pan&scam, but will still include all features and Dolby Digital 5.1.

The English Region 2 version will be in widescreen, with dts 5.1 sound, but is not confirmed to have any extra features yet.

Such a great film, but such a dilemna.

Can anyone confirm any of the above speculations??

 

[Nick Sievers]

Im going with the US version and it should ship in a couple of days. While I like to have dts, the DD track will be fine for this film. I'm especially looking forward to the commentary track from the Coen's. You can forget the Canadian version if it has a Pan&Scan version

 

[PatB]

So now I'm being forced to order this film from the U.S without having seen it as there won't be a way to rent it in Canada. I don't have the money to risk on a film that may not be worth owning so I guess thanks to whatever idiot is making these decisions in Canada I won't be seeing this film. The only positive thing about this is that they won't get my money and hopefully anyone elses money (in Canada) who cares about these things. DVD is being ruined by idiots. I know most of you are in the U.S and don't care about this fact because it doesn't affect you in this case but I would hope that all of us being fans and believers in OAR would get together to help change this.

 

[Marc Colella]

I gotta believe that the Canadian version will be OAR and anamorphic.

I know Alliance has released P&S DVDs in the past, but lately they've been releasing them in their OAR.

Besides, A P&S version of TMWWT wouldn't make any sense since the average J6P would have no interest in this type of film.

 

[josh4040]

Im going with the US version and it should ship in a couple of days

Where are you ordering from bro? I would love to have this in a couple of days instead of on the 16th

 

[Nick Sievers]

I order from Amazon, and I think the only reason they ship early is so that it can arrive on the US street date, give or take a couple of days. So i'm not getting it earlier, I was just saying that it would ship early.

 

[Daniel P]

I gotta believe that the Canadian version will be OAR and anamorphic.

I hope you're right Marc Colella.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Wow. I had no idea this goofy old Steve Guttenberg comedy had such a loyal following... Will this release come with 3-D glasses?

 

[LarryH]

Wow! So it is the Guttenberg movie! I gotta get this now - I thought it was the more recent one with Jolie's husband. I hope the print looks better than what has been on cable - I guess the 3-D effect smeared the image.
(Just kidding, too, in case you didn't guess)

 

[Marc Colella]

So far there's no concerte information detailing whether the Canadian version is P&S or anamrophic widescreen.
I e-mailed Alliance 2 days ago asking for details, but I still haven't recieved a reply (which doesn't surprise me).
However, there may still be some hope.
This is what Norm Wilner (film critic for the Toronto Star) had to say about the possibility of a P&S release:
I doubt this is true; "The Man Who Wasn't There" is a USA Home Entertainment title distributed in Canada by Alliance Atlantis Video, and Alliance Atlantis has always done a straight repackaging of USA's discs in the past.
Naturally, we won't be sure until someone gets a street copy of the Canadian release, but I'd be willing to bet on USA's disc -- with a 16:9 widescreen transfer, commentary and some other goodies -- being inside the case.
Not that I trust Rogers Video, but they have the Canadian DVD (a different cover) listed with the same specs as the US version. There are no details regarding the language tracks, so this may just be a straight copy from the US spec announcement.
HMV also has this as the Canadian cover:

 

[Andrew Walsh]

If the Canadian version is P&S, this will be the last straw. I will go to the Alliance offices and have words with someone. I'm sick of the shabby treatment great films have been given.

I will not injure anyone. I will not injure anyone. I will not injure anyone. I will not injure anyone.

 

[PatB]

Go ahead,Andrew, injure somebody.

 

[Rain]

I'm curious about a couple of things:
1. Where did you all get the idea that the Canadian version will be P&S?
2. Who cares if it is (other than on principle, of course)? In that case, just order one from the US. Simple.

 

[Marc Colella]

2. Who cares if it is (other than on principle, of course)? In that case, just order one from the US. Simple

Well, as you stated - it's important based on priciple. With a perfectly good anamorphic widescreen version already available, why would a company go out of their way to give Canadians an inferior transfer?

Plus the fact that I would've been able to pick it up at Futureshop for $27 CAD, instead it would cost closer to $38 CAD ordering from the U.S.

Of course, we still don't know which version we'll get - so all this could be for nothing.

 

[Rain]

It may also end up being a similar situation to what happened up here with The Straight Story. It was available in Canada only as P&S for several months. Now the OAR version is readily available also.
Whatever happens, I think this goes without saying: Do NOT buy the P&S version!!!

 

[Marc Colella]

Good news !

I contacted someone at Alliance Atlantis who is responsible for the artwork and distribution.

She stated that the transfer for the Candian release is the exact same as the USA Films release. To make sure, she read the specs off the back of the Alliance DVD and it is listed as anamorphic widescreen.

She also stated that the only difference between the Canadian and U.S. version is the artwork and the added French track/subtitles.

 

[ChristianB]

Hi Marc,
I know the artwork is different than the USA version but is it English on one side and French on the other OR the bilingual packaging on BOTH sides?
Alliance NEEDS to put English on one side and French on the other like they used to
Maybe someone could make a scan of the artwork for dvdcoverart.com?

Cheers!

 

[Andrew Walsh]

Thank God they're not screwing this up after all. There would have been... trouble.

 

[Marc Colella]

Christian,
I recieved the following response from Alliance Atlantis regarding the bilingual cover:
"This title will also have "bilingual" packaging. It is actually a rule from now on that all packaging created in Canada that has French tracks MUST have "billingual" packaging.
I know this tends to look a bit crowded sometimes but we're trying our best to correct that. I think "The Man Who Wasn't There" sleeve looks pretty good, not too crowded at all."
Doesn't look like we'll win in this regard, but we do win where it counts the most - the DVD contents/treatment.

 

[ChristianB]

Thanks for the reply Marc.
I understand that all DVDs that include French audio tracks must have a bilingual cover. I have no problem with that.
What puzzles me is why the studios essentially print the same English/French on both sides? Universal is doing this too - just look at Spy Game & K-Pax. Why not print just English on one side, French on the other and then indicate that there is reversable French artwork for those who need it.
This is eliminate the "crowding" and please everyone. Besides this is how Alliance used to do it (looks at Pulp Fiction and Good Will Hunting)
Glad the DVD content remains the same!!
Cheers,
Christian