Comments on: New Releases, 26 Sept 2006

By: Will

Will — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 12:01:30 +0000

It amazes me how people would still rather watch Pan N Scan than letterbox.

I didn’t buy the new Star Wars releases a few weeks ago because Lucas, in an attempt to separte me from my money, just threw out some cheap laserdisc transfer of the original trilogy.

As for Disney and DVDs, the one Disney movie that I want and will never be able to get in this country is Song of the South. Amazingly, Disney has Splash Mountain, and Zip Pa Dee Doo Dah is still one of Disney’s most popular songs, but we’ll never get the movie in this country. Damn shame.

By: Augie De Blieck Jr.

Augie De Blieck Jr. — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 19:49:03 +0000

George – I can remember when the fight was on for anamorphic for everything. We’re about 99% of the way there, which is nice.

Of course, I also remember the fight against DiVX and the fight to convince people that “letterboxed” format is inherently superior to Pan N Scan. Sadly, we still have some ways to go on that last front.

Those Disney DVDs started out looking so nice because they needed updating to be released to IMAX screens. Without that incentive, I hope Disney is still keeping up that high standard of quality with THE LITTLE MERMAID. I’d hate to see this film, of all of them, get screwed.

By: GeorgeC

GeorgeC — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 17:51:31 +0000

I saw The Notorious Bettie Page in theaters. Although the script was pedestrian, Mol deserves props for playing Bettie Page so well. The film is definitely worth renting just to see Mol as Bettie Page. There are times that you forget you’re seeing a recreating of the 1950s icon. I thought she was THAT good.

FYI all: Anamorphic DVDs didn’t become common until after 1999. Even today, a company will occassionally be cheap and NOT do anamorphic remasters for widescreen as WB “graciously” did for Justice League Season Two (despite a previous anamorphic release of the 3-part episode “Starcrossed” on single DVD) and LucasFilm for the original Star Wars theatrical releases on DVD just a few weeks ago. Disney was cheap and just transferred laserdisc masters for the first wave of animated classics back in 1999. Since then, practically all those films have been re-released with digital remasters and with anamorphic video (in the casse of the ORIGINALLY widescreen releases).

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 04:23:36 +0000

Just DM for me. I am insanely happy that The World’s Greatest Secret Agent is now finally all on dvd. Considering how great the last set was, I’m raring for more. By this point in the series they’d finally nailed down the format and had raised the punnery to an art. I can’t wait to get my hands on the rest.

By: Matthew M

Matthew M — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 00:32:06 +0000

I still have my Little Mermaid DVD from Disney’s original batch of 1999 DVD releases, when they all were $40 retail, non-anamorphic widescreen, no special features (except for “full color artwork on the disc” and “chapter stops”, which were prominently listed as “SPECIAL FEATURES!” on the back cover), and drab, lifeless transfers with minimally enveloping 5.1 at best.

How far we’ve come. DVD seems so quaint and antiquated lately… :(

By: Joseph J. Finn

Joseph J. Finn — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 22:59:37 +0000

“Save The Last Dance” is actually a pretty good love-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-tracks movie, though I’m pretty sure it doesn’t need a Special Edition.

By: Will

Will — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 21:10:31 +0000

First of all, Augie, don’t be talking trash on Mamma’s Family!

I wouldn’t but Mamma’s Family on DVD, but if it’s on TV, and I’m not doing anything else, I’ll watch it and always get a laugh. It was always great seeing Carol Burnett chew up scenery as Eunice.

As for Dick Tracy, I’m psyched about the hardcovers. I love Dick Tracy. I think it’s great that this Tracy material is coming out. I also think that the Beatty movie is a highly underrated movie. Of course, I also say the same thing about the Shadow.

By: Phil

Phil — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 17:28:58 +0000

That’s very sad. Maybe in time for the next Batman movie?

And I’m over 30, so that takes care of that. Although, my question was more of a “Can we call a film 17 years old ‘modern’?” And that just depresses me to realize that I was in high school when it came out.

By: Augie De Blieck Jr.

Augie De Blieck Jr. — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 17:17:45 +0000

Phil – OK, so how sad is it that MAMA’S FAMILY beat out BIRDS OF PREY? Eh, given Warner Bros’ track record, it’s not THAT surprising. . .

You’re allowed to call LITTLE MERMAID “modern” so long as you’re at least 30 years old.

By: Phil

Phil — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 16:47:56 +0000

Oh, and yes, I’ve been waiting for “The Little Mermaid” DVD for a long time. It’s one of my favorites from the modern Disney animation era.

Although how “modern” is that, really?