SWR 1

Silver Streak is one of my favorite movies and is coming to dvd on 12/14/04. I have been waiting for this movie for a long time and is one of the reasons I still have my vcr. I just found out that it's going to be in full screen only. See No Evil Hear No Evil, Stir Crazy, and Another You all got widescreen remasters. Silver Streak is rated in the top 100 films on the AFI list of the funniest films ever made. This is totally unacceptable. I would like to start a petition to have it released in OAR. Would any one else support a petition by signing it? Fox waits until the dvd format is almost at its end, and sells us an old catalog title in a substandard format, and then will release a proper OAR version once hd-dvd or blue ray are out. They are selling us a version that they spent no money on just to dump product on us before selling us another version in a couple of years. In the near future, most people will have widescreen tvs since a majority of hdtvs are widescreen and hdtv is the future of television.

SHAME ON FOX!

emhello

What the hell!!!??? I'm emailing them immediately.

RevKarl

If this indeed is going to be a MAR release (I've seen it listed for preorder both as FS & WS by different etailers), I'd be willing to sign your petition requesting an OAR DVD.

aintnosin

Source?

JONA99

I can't believe this. Silver Streak is one of my all-time favorite comedies and has been on my must-have list since I first started buying DVDs back in '98. I was planning on buying it on its first day of release, but I absolutely will NOT buy it in fullscreen. (I seem to remember reading that it was getting an anamorphic transfer though)

SWR 1

My friend is one of the buyers at Virgin Mega Store here in New York City. He knows all of the specs prior to them purchasing from the distributor, my uncle who confirmed this information owns one of the oldest video stores in New York state. He is about to order all of the titles coming out in December from his distributor. My friend nor my uncle knows if this information will be correct, but this is the most up to date information that Fox is providing to the distributors and retailers at the present time. I looked around the internet and found on cduniverse as well as a couple of people on imdb who have claimed that this is info that was given to them as well.


Trust me, I hope that the information I got was wrong. I would love to be wrong in this situation.

calhoun07

Full frame will = no sale, but I will wait until it gets closer to release date before I make that decision. Right now, amazon.com is the only online store I can find this at (having tried dvdempire, dvdplanet, deepdiscountdvd, and fox.com's online store) and amazon.com, usually really good about listing the specs, doesn't list anything for the aspect ratio. I am hoping this is just misinformation at this point.

aintnosin

If so, then that's two movies I won't be getting this year. Between Colossus: The Forbin Project and now this, I've saved about $30 so far.

I'm thrilled.

lisadoris

NOOOOOO!!!!

Buy.com has it listed as full frame, most places don't have it listed at all. I'd sign a petition in a heartbeat.

fitprod

I just checked the fox retail site and there are absolutely no specifications listed. This assumption is based on not having the complete facts.

Considering Fox's track record I would be stunned if Silver Streak was full frame only. All of thier bargain titles have been at least widescreen, most of them have been widescreen on one side, full frame on the other.

fitprod

NOTE: Virgin Megastore's local buyer is working from information provided their national buyer who probably doesn't know any more about the specifications than the rest of the people using the fox retail site.

auto

Let's hope this is a mistake.

SWR 1

I hope you are righ about it being released in widescreen. But you are making an assumption based on previous Fox releases that Silver Streak will be in widescreen. The info I recieved is based on current information about this particular release from sources that deal directly with the studios. This info is not an assumption, it is a conclusion based on information given by distributors to retailers. You are probably right on the situation with my friend who is a buyer for the Union Square, NYC store regarding him getting information from a national buyer, (I'm not positive if you are right) but my uncle gets his information from his distributor who has been his distributor for over 20 years. In terms of Silver Streak not being on the Fox website yet, that doesn't really mean anything because all of the studios websites are usually the last ones to list upcoming dvds being released. You almost always find upcoming dvds on forum sites and discount retailers sites before they are listed on the studio websites. Everywhere I have found Silver Streak listed with specs which is Buy.com, Videouniverse.com, and the Virgin Mega Store have it listed as Full Screen. So I don't think that it is correct saying that it is an assumption. The information might wind up being changed, but at this time those are the facts of the situation. I hope the info changes, I hope that the info given to me will be wrong by the time the dvd is released.

emhello

You'd think that they'd never release full-frame of anything anymore. Unless they're running a scam to resell a little later....

SWR 1

That's what I was thinking myself. As I stated above, the dvd format is on its way out in a couple of years, I feel like Fox just wants to dump the rest of their catalog titles on to the market (without spending $ to restore them properly) to make quick money and then re-release them when the next standard format emerges (either Blue-Ray or HD-DVD).

emhello

I still have gotten no replacement from Fox on my A New Hope DVD. Is that ever going to happen or was it just talk? Can't even watch the damn movie.

nightmaster

In that case little do they know that J6P will run out and buy the fullscreen, while resisting both HD and Blu-ray.
People are NOT going to switch formats overnight every 5 years. Some people have enough trouble making their house payments, so they aren't going to care. They have 10 year old VCRs that they were never able to set the clocks on. As long as they have their $10 fullscreen copy of Silver Streak they arent going to buy it again when HD-blue shows up.

emhello

I won't even buy it in the first place if they care that little about giving the fans a good copy of a classic movie.

Jon2

I really wish this nonsense would dry up and blow away. The DVD format is not going to be on it's way out in a couple of years. The Hi-Def DVD format wars will take that long, at least, to just begin to shake out to determine which format is going to be numero uno down the road.

Everything I've read points to HD-DVD having expensive players and media until the format matures. Consequently, most people are going to hold off buying into HD-DVD until one format wins, which will slow down adoption of any format even more.

And (not to remain completely off topic) if true, releasing Siiver Streak in FF would be an abomination. AARRGG!!!

SWR 1

Yes, the dvd format will be around for many more years before either of the hi- def disks completely take over dvd, but Toshiba, Nec and other computer manufacturers are already putting HD-DVD drives in their computers by Quarter 2 2005 thats only about 7 months away. Microsoft has already name HD-DVD the format that they are making compatible with the new operating systems being developed as well as commiting to HD-DVD for their second generation X Box. Who ever comes to the market the quickest with the cheapest prices will win the format war. Microsoft already supporting HD-DVD gives it a huge advantage over Blu-Ray Group because Microsoft is the operating of choice on over 90% of computerd world wide. So it will not be as long as you think until HD-DVD recorders and players will be out for a reasonable price.


By the way: I want SILVER STREAK IN WIDESCREEN DAMMIT!

calhoun07

I also don't see the DVD format going anywhere soon. My understanding is that anything new that comes along will be backwards compatable anyway. Also, only the die hard vide files will jump on to HD-DVD right away. It will attract the laser disc type crowd, and will be a niche format for a while.

CDs took over LPs and cassettes because there was a remarkable difference in quality from the previous formats to the new one. However, the newer forms of audio to come about haven't really taken the market by storm, and I think that's because CD is just fine for the majority of the people and they have no real interest in dumping CD collections for SACD collections like they did with their old tapes and LPs when they got into CD.

Likewise, I imagine the people who unloaded VHS like a bad habit and jumped on to DVD will be much more reluctant to jump into a new format. DVD is a superior format to VHS, and with many qualities that set it apart from the previous format. To the average public, they already have a digital format that is working fine for them. Why trade a digital format for another one.

And why would studios try to unload all their catalogue titles before the advent of HD-DVD. Is the implication that they wouldn't sell if HD-DVD was around? I beg to differ. I think DVD sales will remain brisk for quite a while, even with HD-DVD.

joliom

Why are the studios still doing this foolscreen madness? It's one thing when they offer both versions, but when something gets released in non-OAR fullscreen as the only option, that just sucks. It's a disservice to the consumer and bastardizes the filmmaker's vision.

Julie Walker

I have a hard time believing this. Since a lovely restored widescreen print of the film has shown on FXM within this year. It may have aired in widescreen earlier. But I don't know,since I never bothered catching every showing to see if it was widescreen or not.

So it would be pointless for Fox to throw out the money they spent on the remaster,for a P&S only release. Since it is a popular title and not some unknown flick. I have great doubt about them actually coming through with a P&S only release.



As for HD-DVD,big deal..I am happy with dvd and am not 'upgrading' any of my collection to the next format. I won't even bother with HD until years from now if and only if it is the only format left.

SWR 1

DVD will sell even when HD-DVD or Blu-Ray are introduced, that is not what I was implying. What I was saying is the studios will rush to get a lot of titles out quickly to sell on the dvd format in either fullscreen or other subpar video elements and with subpar audio tracks, so that when the HD-DVD versions are released with proper OAR and proper sound tracks they will make the dvd versions look like the junk that they are and people will double dip and get the ones that are clearly better that being the HD versions. Also have you seen a lot of dvds on 60 + inch screens, a lot look like dookie. With more and more people having home theatres HD discs are going to look a lot more appealing on these newer large HD TV sets. Most of the public doesn't know whats around the bend in terms of the next optical disc format so they will go out and purchase all of these subpar versions only to have to buy newer versions in a couple of years or so. Obviouly there are plenty of dvd titles that have been treated the right way and will not be worth an hd upgrade or at least right away. Thats my opinion.


To get back to the point of this thread which is, Everyone here letting Fox know that a Fullscreen version is not ok and is actually ridiculous.

kingGirlfriend

Effiin'-A!

Man I sure hope this at the very least turns out to be a flipper with fullscreen and widscreen on their respectable sides. There ain't too many movies, maybe a handful, that I still wait for dvd releases and Silver Streak is prolly the most 'mainstream' of them. I always watch this on television when it's on and doesn't AMC play this in widescreen? Kinda' self defeating if they release it in fullscreen only.

(But damn, at only ten bucks it'll be hard to pass on if this is true, if it were widescreen there'd be no question.)

~Peace

SWR 1

I didn't realize that there was a newly restored widescreen print shown on tv recently. What is FHM? Is that the fox movie channel? I saw silver streak a couple weeks ago on tv and it was fullscreen and did not look good at all. But if you saw a nice looking widescreen version then I definitely agree with your statement about it not making sense for a P & S only release. Also, I too also am happy with dvd format and am not 'upgrading' any of my collection to the next format. I will bother with the HD format in terms of backup discs because I own a production company and HD-DVD will be a blessing for me in terms of space to back up my audio sessions and dailies for the commercials, and films we shoot.