The Thin Red Line - which version? (1 Viewer)

[Shem Kellogg]

just watched part of my dts version last night. very easy on the eyes but too slow the second time around

 

[Ron Reda]

Man, I'll be pissed if my 2 subs blow!

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

Is the current DVD 16x9 enhanced??


I just received a rental disc from Zip.Ca and it appeared to have burned in bars above and below the frame. Was there an older non-anamorphic release which I might've received?

I'm hesitant to purchase the film now, because I was not happy with the DVD I received from Zip.Ca as a result of this...

 

[Jean Paul Villeneuve]

The first 1999 release is non-anamorphic.

Newer release is anamorphic, with a DTS track.

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

Thanks, I'll check the audio options to verify because I was really surprised based on previous praises Ive read here of the release, to find it non-anamorphic..


Good to know though!

 

[Bob Cashill]

The original R1 release (99/00 vintage) is indeed anamorphic-enhanced. And a stunning transfer, even for today.

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

Huh?

Is this definite?


If so, why would disc generated bars appear above and below the horizontal frame of the image during playback?

I only buy 16x9 enhanced movies because they quite frankly look awful otherwise on my 100" Stewart Filmscreen... but I've never experienced anything similar in playback before.

I'll usually notice the regular "unused" space of the screen depending on whether I'm watching a 4x3 transfer or the width of the frame of a certain film, as acknowledged in the dark vertical or horizontal bars... but in addition to that, these were clearly being projected onto my screen alongside the image.

I'm almost positive it has to be due to the DVD not being anamorphic... what other explanation for this could be given?

 

[Magnus T]

Are you a troll, Marco?

The movie is a 2.35:1 movie. Black bars above and below the frame is normal even on 16:9 TV's.

Surely, you must have other movies in this aspect ratio? LOTR, The Matrix, The Rock, Alien, and so on and so on for example.

 

[Geoff_D]

The original 1999 R1 release, catalogue number 4111850, IS anamorphic. Way back in '99 I remember being shocked by that, because pretty much everything else Fox had released previously in the States was non-anamorphic. And I just checked it to make sure my memory wasn't playing tricks.

 

[CraigF]

Marco: I notice the Fox War Classics version (anamorphic, with DD and dts) is selling very cheaply in the typical Canadian DVD stores now. I have this version, and it is good re PQ and SQ, so a safe buy if you like the film. There are NO extras on this disc. Another version has a trailer and some music too, but I doubt you'll find that one in stores now.

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

I'm not an idiot... I know about aspect ratio.


I set my scaler to input 2:35 -- but the black bars should not be disc-generated!

If my screen size is set to 1:78 -- the only "black bars" I should be seeing are those of my filmscreen, as in the area of frame in which the image is not being projected.

I should not be seeing TWO sets of black bars -- the 'dark' real estate of my screen AND burnt into the image!


Am I incorrect or something?

I've never seen this before with any other disc on my setup...

 

[todd stone]

you will always get black bars

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

Well I obviously own many films on disc of varying a.r's from 1.19:1 to 2.35:1 and have never noticed anything particularly like this, I'm certain there's a problem with the encoding of the disc than. It's very difficult to describe what I was seeing but I was not impressed with the image quality at all and something definitely didn't present itself right with the playback of this disc..

 

[Darcy Hunter]

Either there's something wrong with your disc, or it's possibly a bootleg. I have the very first edition of The Thin Red Line (the one with the Melanesian songs as a bonus), and it is indeed anamorphic, and a very nice transfer at that.

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

Oh well... glad to know the disc is supposed to be anamorphic and of quality.

I just received a rental from Zip.Ca, not sure what's up with this copy but I'll probably go ahead and order the DVD from Amazon later this week.

Thanks!

 

[Marc Colella]

I have the first release of TTRL (with the Malaysian songs and no DTS) and it's definitely anamorphic.

It's possible the disc from Zip.ca is a bootleg/pirated copy. Someone who rented the disc previously from them could've swapped their pirated copy for the legit one.

 

[Elijah Sullivan]

Looks like we may have an explanation for the lack of a Special Edition/Director's Cut...

http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/12/04/Producers_Win_Legal_Fees_in_Thin_Red_Line_Case.htm?sbrm

Now that it's cleared up, can Malick start thinking about re-releasing his masterpiece?

 

[TonyD]

Producers Win Legal Fees in 'Thin Red Line' Case
By JONATHAN PERLOW
ShareThis
(CN) - After prevailing in an eight-year "litigation marathon" over the rights to the WWII film "The Thin Red Line," Phoenix Pictures won its bid for attorney fees and legal costs in Manhattan Federal Court.
Gerard Rubin claimed that he and his company, Briarpatch Ltd., owned the rights to the critically acclaimed film that earned seven Academy Award nominations. He unsuccessfully sued Phoenix, co-founder Morris "Mike" Medavoy, and the film's writer and director, Terrence Malick, for alleged copyright infringement.
"As this court has ruled twice, and as the 2nd Circuit has now confirmed, plaintiffs for over 8 years of litigation have pursued claims that have no factual or legal basis," U.S. District Judge Robert W. Sweet wrote.
After the case was tossed by the federal appeals court, Sweet explained why he was ordering Rubin to pay attorney fees to Phoenix and Medavoy. Malick had previously been dropped from the suit.
"This is a case where an award of fees is important for deterrence and to compensate defendants for expense of this suit which should never have been brought, and even if brought, should never have been litigated as plaintiffs litigated it," he wrote.
Rubin was a limited partner in the production company that sold "The Thin Red Line" to Phoenix. The film was based on a book by James Jones.
Rubin claimed to have contributed millions of dollars in various entertainment projects and expected to reap the rewards if one became successful.
The 1998 war film, which tells a fictional story of U.S. soldiers during the Battle of Guadalcanal, was one of those projects. After buying the rights, Phoenix oversaw the completion of "The Thin Red Line" with a budget of $52 million. While it was a disappointment at the North American box office, grossing only $36 million, the film made $98 million worldwide and enjoyed critical success.
Featuring a cast of A-list actors, including Sean Penn, Adrian Brody, George Clooney, John Cusack and John Travolta, it received seven Oscar nominations, including best picture.
Rubin sued the film's producers and won a $1.5 million judgment in New York State Supreme Court for the profits he should have received through the sale.
But he filed another suit, this time in federal court, claiming that Briarpatch actually owned the film, because Phoenix purportedly violated the agreement.
The case was dismissed due to Rubin's inability to present any written evidence, and he and Briarpatch were "judicially estopped from litigating." But they "continued to press despite no new evidence and no change in applicable law," the ruling states.
Judge Sweet said Rubin filed numerous improper motions and "grossly mischaracterized" testimony.
Though it's fairly common for attorney fees to be awarded in copyright cases, the judge cited "other factors" in awarding the producers attorney fees.
"These other factors ... include improper motivation of the litigant, unreasonable and bad faith tactics, and the need for compensation and deterrence."
Judge Sweet characterized the lawsuit as "an attempt to extract a significant payment from perceived 'deep pocketed' defendants."

 

[donnie_d]

owww ok! this finally explains everything...should we expect the super duper 43-disc boxset soon?

 

[kingfish]

I liked the original version of the thin red line with keir dullea.