This Island Earth and The Deadly Mantis ? (2 Viewers)

[Steve Christou]

And here's the same scene from the old region 1 DVD -

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

Thanks Steve for the screen grab comparisons. As mentioned, the UK widescreen color and brightness looks like the new release from Universal and we can definately see that the "widescreen" - is not true but matted as suspected.

Again we get back to those who are pureist in some respects wanting to see it in the OAR but possibly that aspect was always "matted" but what we get now is open which brings me back to my original posts about being the same print with one only being matted and the debate about anamorphic issues.

I'll take it "as is" because we are not getting a P&S version and at DVD Review they mention Universal releasing this as well as the Best Buy exclusive Sci Fi set coming out in a few weeks, all being original and the way Universal shot them to be seen, not altered to a format for general theater houses to project in the 50s to ride the bandwagon.

 

[Jack Theakston]

Matted ("flat") widescreen IS widescreen! There's nothing "fake" about it. Over half of the films in theaters ARE "flat" widescreen.

 

[Mark_TS]

which one is it that has the Grasshoppers crawling up the sides of photos of buildings?

 

[Thomas T]

Beginning Of The End is the grasshopper movie and is (was?) was available through Image Entertainment.

 

[Steve Christou]

Fake or not, This Island Earth may look too tightly cropped matted at 2.1. I'd like to see a 'widescreen' grab of the famous shot of the spaceship approaching the Metalunan city, if the film was always intended to be widescreen than that special effects shot might have been filmed 'wide' and zoomed in for 1.33, otherwise I just don't think it'll look good at all with the top and bottom cut off, IMO.

And who's to say that a sudden decision to matte the film at 2.1 for some theater engagements in '55 means that ratio should now be regarded as 'optimum'.

 

[Stephen PI]

I posted to the wrong thread so I have also reproduced it here.

The information below was reported in the May, 1953 issue of American Cinematographer magazine:
Universal-International
"Early last month this studio unveiled it's method of wide-screen projection for both 2-D and 3-D films, complete with stereophonic sound. Studio engineers have established an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 as the standard for U-I Pictures.
All U-I pictures, it was reported, henceforth will be photographed with a view to wide-screen presentation. Thus, directors of photography at this studio will compose all scenes with consideration for the 1.85:1 aspect ratio in both regular and three -dimension photography".

The above was an extract of a survey by Arthur Gavin.
Nothing wider than 1.85 was considered.

 

[Danilo S.]

I agree 100% with Jack Theakston and really I hope to see a widescreen edition here in Europe.

Danny

 

[Jack Theakston]

Compare for yourself the framegrabs I took on the first page. 2:1 looks the nicest, in my opinion.

 

[Steve Christou]

First page of what Jack? I can only see the ones James and I posted in this thread.

 

[Jack Theakston]

Whoops! I thought this was an older thread that had already discussed this topic. Here is a repost of the scans I did. Take note that these are off of an original, 1955 print, so there is no "margin" for error here as off of a screencap off of some video edition:


Opening titles (1.37)
1.85
2:1

Establishing shot (1.37)
1.85
2:1

Jeff Morrow as Exeter (1.37)
1.85
2:1

Exeter
1.85
2:1

Spaceship (1.37)
1.85
2:1

Metaluna's destruction (1.37)
1.85
2:1

Metaluna Mutant (1.37)
1.85
2:1

Cargo hold (1.37)
1.85
2:1

New Sun (1.37)
1.85
2:1

Returning to Earth (1.37)
1.85
2:1

Flaming spaceship (1.37)
1.85
2:1

End Titles (1.37)
1.85
2:1

 

[Steve Christou]

Appreciate the comparison shots Jack. Looking at them makes me glad this new DVD release is in 1.33 and not 2.1. Although they could have included an anamorphic 1.85 edition on the flip side for people who like their classics to have that 'widescreen' effect even if it's a fake or 'forced' widescreen effect.

The 2.1 shots are too drastically cropped, 40% of the visual effects in the Metaluna scenes are off the screen and the shot of the circular monitor showing the 'new sun' looks awful with the top and bottom lopped off. I'm now convinced 1.33 was this particular films optimum ratio. Cheers.

 

[pitchman]

As someone who saw This Island Earth theatrically back in the early sixties, it was definitely NOT projected at a 1:33 screen ratio at that point in time. Most likely, it was 1:85. I agree that 2:1 looks a bit cramped compositionally in a few of Jack's captures, but 1:33 is way too loose, IMO.

In the end, I think this DVD is another missed opportunity by Universal Home Video. I watched the new disc a couple of nights ago and compared it to the Image original. Is it an improvement? Yes, but that is not saying much. The video and audio enhancements are not significant. It appears that some cleanup work was done, but this disc doesn't hold a candle to the full-scale restoration effort Universal gave It Came From Outer Space a few years ago. That disc quite simply blows this one away, IMO.

It strikes me that Universal went out of their way to issue this disc in the shoddiest form possible, as if to say MS3K had it right all along, and this film is now considered nothing more than an embarrassing joke from the studio's past.

It deserves better and maybe someday someone at Universal will see to it that it gets the respectful treatment it deserves.

 

[Jim Peavy]

I don't know; as someone who never saw the Image disc but has seen TIE a lot in various incarnations over the years (TV recordings, prerecords, LD), I've never seen it look this good. I'm really happy to have this disc, and would certainly rather have it open matte than cropped too much. Maybe if it sells well (and I think it actually is), Universal will revisit it and give us an SE with a widescreen, anamorphic transfer.

 

[pitchman]

Check out those screen grabs. The new Universal disc is cropped when compared to the older Image release.

As I said, this disc is an improvement, but a LOT more could have/should have been done on the restoration, IMO. For now, I'll gladly take the crumbs Universal throws my way and quietly get back in line to triple-dip if/when they decide to revisit this film. Yeah, I have it pretty bad when it comes to This Island Earth...

 

[Jim Peavy]

Well here we're in perfect agreement, pitchman! As I said, hopefully this'll do well enough that Universal will revisit it with an anamorphic transfer and a butt-load of extras (a Bob Skotak commentary would be terrific). 'Til then, this disc is certainly better than nothing.

 

[Jeff_HR]

What?! You're expecting Universal to respect & care about putting out catalog titles in a quality manner. Get real, it doesn't happen 99.999% of the time!