Zodiac_Speaking

Amazon.com said it will be in Fullscreen and a trailer. Please, tell me this isn't true. Warner botched up Horror of Dracula and Curse of Frankenstein, please not another classic.

They advertise it is the 50th Ann. so why no features?

Anyone with more info on this?

rasalas

The movie's original aspect ratio is 1.37:1--or full-screen. A trailer will be the only feature on the DVD, according to Warner Home Video's press release.

As long as we've been waiting for this title, I'll take it. Extras would have been nice, but not necessary.

bboisvert

The Thing was released in 1951. It is not a widescreen film.

buckee1

Sorry, I'm coming in a bit late to the party but where & how did Warner botch "TCOF" & "THOD"?

I have both discs and am more than pleased with the content & presentation.

What am I missing?

Numanoid

You're kidding, right?

El-Kabong

Hey - it doesnt even come in 5.1 surround! That's it - I'm off to cancel my preorder!

Johnny Zhivago

There are framing concerns with the Warner Hammer films... They were overmatted for anamorphic presentation @ ~ 1.78:1 - 1.85:1... (the films were originally presented 1.75:1 and 1.66:1) Add the typical overscan on a HDTV and it's more like 1.90:1. The framing in some scenes seems a little tight... Not enough headroom. Other than that, the WB Hammer DVDs are top notch IMHO. Of course, all of this could be avoided if Warner Bros would remove the corporate head from the corporate ass and give their 1.66:1 films the proper anamorphic enhancement that they deserve.

buckee1

Johnny Zhivago,

Thanks for the heads up. I'm currently watching my discs on a 36" Tosh but will be upgrading to a Mits HDTV within the coming months.

Something to look out for when I start re-watching the collection on the HDTV.

renaldow

More than likely there is nothing around to add to the disc as a special feature. This film is over 50 years old, and was made during a time when sci-fi flicks and other low budget B movies were pumped out as fast as they could make them. This was back when going to the weekend Matinee meant showing up around lunch time and getting out of the theater around dinner time. You saw on the order of 2 full features and 7 short films. They had to keep the seats full every weekend, so features would change regularly, not hang out at the box office week after week.

When they filmed these movies they had strict deadlines to follow. Pretty much everything that was shot was in the movie. They didn't have the luxury of time and money to shoot scenes they wouldn't use; if the director wanted a job next week he didn't change 'the vision' of the film in mid shoot and scrap half of what was already done. He finished the film as the script was written and hoped to be given another movie to do.

Also keep in mind this movie was made as dime a dozen low grade sci-fi filler. There wouldn't be an interviews, documentaries, making ofs involved with this picture. If someone had suggested making something like that at the time they would've been laughed at.

Don't become wrapped up in special features. If you like older movies (even movies 10years old) you'll never be satisfied with their releases because it's fairly rare for them to have anything you could call an extra aside from the trailer. If the disc has a nice sharp picture and clean audio I'll be thrilled with it.

And as already mentioned, this movie was filmed full screen, it's the OAR. A widescreen release of this movie would be a travesty.

shill66

Sorry to contribute another "I'm glad I have the laserdisc" posts, but here it goes. Because the laserdisc includes the trailer, poster and lobby card gallery, production photos, pressbook materials, the complete text of the short story "Who Goes There?" and an essay on the making of the film (what would be "production notes" on a DVD).

TCM occasionally shows a short piece with John Carpenter talking about the original film that would also be perfect for the disc.

mwj

I was hoping for nice extras too, but I am just excited to have this classic finally on DVD.

DonnachaOne

A Carpenter commentary for THIS release might have been nice. Sorta like the Scorsese comms for the Criterion Powell & Pressburgers.

Dragonslayer

I was just about to post the list of the materials that shill66 mentioned. WB could have looked into using these materials from the Image LD.

Don't be sorry about mentioning that you have a LD of a film that is not out on DVD or has better "Special Features" that its DVD counterpart. It is not as though the video format in general jumped from VHS to DVD. Laserdiscs have been sold since 1976, and that is before either VHS or Betamax tapes were sold to the public.