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WB- Please release "Shoes of the Fisherman" on DVD (1 Viewer)

JPCinema

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I truly hope WB releases "Shoes of the Fisherman" on DVD soon. It is more timely than ever, with the Papal elections coming soon and the fact that the story involves the election of the first non Italian Pope.
I just read today that WB annouced a DVD through BBC of a documentary on the life of John Paul II. Why not "Shoes" as well.
I don't think it would exploitive to do so.
 

ArthurMy

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The Shoes of the Fisherman was a bomb back when it was released, and I cannot see too many people, other than the usual suspects, being interested in it now. I watched it recently, to see if it had aged well, and I'm sorry to say it's just as ponderous and endless as I recalled. The score is nice, though.
 

Bob Cashill

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The New York Times reported that one of the few novels Pope John Paul had in his Vatican residence was Morris West's THE SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN. Factoids like that might spur a release, but I agree that the movie, which airs often enough on TCM, is pretty much a dog.
 

JPCinema

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In these caustic, jaded times, with poorly plotted movies full of CGI and no performances, I still find "Shoes" a guilty pleasure with a great score and find the actual Papal election footage still very interesting.
 

Charles H

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Pretty bad movie with a romantic love triangle that almost destroys a compelling premise, but a great Alex North score. It was a TCM DVD Decision nominee last year but lost to ICE STATION ZEBRA. So it will probably come out some day.
 

Joe Caps

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this film was great to see in 70mm. The sense of actually being there was phenomenal, helped by great surround stereo.
Alex Norths score helped and we have a great performance by Anthony Quinn.
 

ArthurMy

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"The film was great to see in 70mm".

This seems to be the answer in a nutshell. Almost every 70mm film has its fans strictly for the experience of having seen it that way. Doesn't really matter about the film at all. I mean, The Shoes of the Fisherman (which I saw in 70mm, too) is just a bad movie. But, I guess I understand that if one saw these things at an impressionable age, then one holds a special place in their heart for them.

Ice Station Zebra - another perfect example. Almost unwatchable as a piece of drama, although the shots of the boat are nice. :D
 

TedD

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Jan 9, 2001
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Shoes of the Fisherman is a very engrossing experience when seen in the proper environment.

Anything less than a 2.20:1 constant height setup is not a proper environment.....

Ted
 

Paul Linfesty

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Actually, considering this film was actually shot in 35mm anamorphic panavision, than anything less than 2.35 (this was before the "recomended" 2.4 ration)is not correct.
 

TedD

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Ah, but it was exibited in 70mm, which means 2.20:1 was the projected aspect ratio in those theaters.

I'll take either one, I have a 2.60:1 constant height screen here.

Ted
 

Joe Caps

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Yikes!! We all saw Shoes of the Fisherman in 70mm at a young impressionable age - well, I like the film - even thought that doesn't agree with the omnipotent Arthur My's opinion.
BTW -Arthur, I saw plenty of films in 70mm that I hated - Ice Station Zebra and Song of Norway being chief among them.
 

Bill Huelbig

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Let's not forget Oskar Werner's contribution to the film. He's excellent, and so is Anthony Quinn. Great final scene, too. Maybe I feel this way because I too saw it in 70mm (on a Catholic high school field trip)? Doesn't matter - I still look forward to its DVD release.
 

Roger Rollins

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Whether you like the film or not, it was prepped as a candidate for WB's DVD DECISION promo, and the titles that don't make the cut, will eventually end up on DVD at some point thereafter. I'd bet we see this at Xmas, and would have seen it at that time even if there hadn't been the death of the Pope...

Some people hate this movie, others like it or love it. Hang around HTF long enough and one finds that there is a fan (or several) for every movie ever made, regardless of quality or content.

Just glance through the post-WB chat "suggestion-box" aura to see the dozens and dozens of titles that would surely appeal to a few hundred people...and no more....leading to a DVD that would lose the company large aamounts of money.

Regardless, SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN is different. It was an event film of its era. Combine that with the fact that the religious folks will pursue it, ad the fact that we know WB has a restored (16x9) master in its hands, leads me to believe this film will be out sometime this year.

Fingers crossed for fans of the film.
 

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