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Thief and the Cobbler: WARNING-Pan And Scan!?!? (1 Viewer)

DaViD Boulet

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Just got the pre-release copy and it's really upsetting... there's a big "Standard Version... modified to fit your screen" caption on the back cover.

I don't see on Amazon that Disney has released this in dual fashion. It seems to me that it's stuck in P/S ONLY for R1 viewers.

Really sad news. I'll give the disc a look over but honestly what's the point?

:frowning: :angry:
 

Patrick McCart

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Are you sure it's not the 2005 disc? The new version has popup packaging and is actually listed as a "Widescreen Collector's Edition" on several sites.

The only reason this was re-issued in the first place was to appeal to new fans created by the recent fan "reconstruction" that's been making the rounds this summer.
 

DaViD Boulet

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Ugh. I hate to say it but I think my original post is still correct.

It's got the 2006 date on the back of the packaging and it has the pop-up fold-out inside the front cover.

Could you point me to a link that indicates the WS aspect ratio so I can compare to my own package artwork? Thanks!

dave
 

Patrick McCart

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Amazon.com Video Universe, and Best Buy list this new edition as widescreen. Some other sellers say it's P&S, but with the same specs as the Miramax edition (meaning they just copied info from the 2005 disc listing).

Did you not recieve the actual disc?
 

DaViD Boulet

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Hey Patrick,

I have the disc in hand. I'll open the packaging tonight and make sure that the box isn't just improperly labeled.

I looked on Amazon and couldn't find mention of the aspect ratio (last night). Can you post a link?

thanks!

dave

p.s. I'll report back what I see on the actual disc...
 

DaViD Boulet

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OH MY GOD.

The master is a composite analog source! Probabaly professional BETA. There's even dot-crawl in the image. It's as bad as the Fox and the Hound.

Oh... and utterly 4x3.

This is really, really disappointing. Can we determine if I really have "the" new version or if there is more than one? It did say 2006 and it did have the fold-out cover with the popup castle.
 

ChristopherDAC

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Probably something else. BetaCam is a component analog format, recording the colour and monochrome signals on adjacent channels, so not dot-crawl if you use the component ins and outs. This might have been a 1" master, or it could have been BetaCam from a telecine with only composite output (not too likely, it might surprise you to know), or it might have been (horrors) a 3/4" U cassette.

What's the UPC? If there are two "new" versions out there (one of which isn't), the codes should be distinct.
 

Patrick McCart

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Nice, it looks like they're repackaging the old DVD in fancy popup packaging. TWC and Genius should be ashamed of themselves. The bootleg workprint DVD making the rounds is uncut, widescreen, has a commentary, and over 6 hours of supplements. TWC offers an awful quality P&S transfer of the worst version in popup packaging. I just wish Criterion or Anchor Bay would get the rights so we can finally see a decent legal DVD.
 

DaViD Boulet

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Patrick,

please send me an email. Would like to find out from you some good facts about this title and it's various DVD release forms to assist me. Thanks! (dvdboulet at hotmail dot com).
 

Patrick McCart

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Looked at copies at stores and they're all pan & scan like screeners. Since it's not Star Wars or Superman, I guess there won't be much support to push TWC/Genius to pull this overpriced coaster and replace it with a 16x9 2.35:1 DVD with the longer "International" cut (that's 8 minutes longer) or the uncut workprint.

You can see what the Weinsteins have botched here:

"Recobbled Cut" version (widescreen, mostly faithful video reconstruction of the uncut workprint)

Consider the "Recobbled Cut" to be the Richard Donner Version of Superman II, The Princess and the Cobbler to be the theatrical Superman II (if you skip the first two songs), and the Miramax cut to be Brazil's Love Conquers All version.

If you want a taste of the hours of bonus features that could have been put on a DVD for the film:

Richard Williams Studio commercial compilation (1980s showreel, plus a few others like the Pink Panther Owens-Corner/TDK ads)
Richard Williams and The Thief Who Never Gave Up (excellent 1982 documentary on the film, Williams, and his studio's work)
A Christmas Carol (Williams' 1972 Oscar-winning short adaptation of the Dickens classic)
I Drew Roger Rabbit (1988 documentary on the animation, with a bit of Thief stuff)
 

Mark_Wilson

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This is bad news. Is the widescreen Japanese dvd still available?

Hey, I recognize one of the guys on the commentary for the recobbled version. :)
 

cafink

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I've been meaning to pick up the Japanese DVD for the longest time. After reading Patrick's post, I panicked, checked out CD Japan (cdjapan.co.jp), my usual import DVD source, and found that it is indeed no longer in stock. Guess I waited too long.

After searching around a bit, however, it appears that Amazon Japan still has the DVD in stock. I just placed an order. I guess I'll just have to wait and see whether or not the disc actually shows up.

If you're interested in trying it for yourself, just visit amazon.co.jp and search for "Arabian Knight." It should be the second result. There's no image of the product, but you can check the release date, which should be 2002/05/24.

Ordering is simple. In the upper right-hand corner of the page is a link that will display most of the site's text in English. From there, it's no more difficult than signing up for and ordering from the English Amazon site.

To change the subject slightly, I know that the HTF has a pretty strict anti-bootleg policy. It appears that the links above lead to videos containing the complete film. Is that correct? If so, it's an egregious violation of copyright law if not HTF policy.
 

Mark_Wilson

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I ordered it from amazon too last week. It still may be OOP. I've had them cancel items they couldn't get. This one appears to not be in stock as it says it's available in 1-2 weeks.
 

Patrick McCart

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It looks like you can get the R4 PAL DVD though... http://www.devoteddvd.com.au/shop/pr...ducts_id=5192&

But it's pan & scan. You'd have to decide which is worse: an almost unwatchable cut in OAR or a somewhat enjoyable cut in P&S.

VVV In that case, you might still want to get this at least for the deleted witch segment and the workprint-only scenes during the closing credits.
 

Mark_Wilson

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Good news, Amazon JP shipped it. Just hoped I ordered the correct item. Had to find it via catalog number. Didn't have a cover shot.
 

Patrick McCart

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Could you post some screenshots? I'd like to know if it's the same as the disc I have (30i/16x9 2.35:1). Also, how much did it cost in U.S. dollars?
 

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