Rogue588

Unfortunately, I haven't.

My P&S copy is packed somewhere in the basement and I can't find it. Of course it would've made sense to pack it with all of my other P stuff, but I knew the SE was coming out, so I packed it with the rest of my musicals.

The Infidel

I think it's matted. F'n Warner. You know, they should force the film companies to provide this information prior to a release, so we the public can decide beforehand if we want to waste our money on a bogus aspect ratio.

DieselsDen

I agree with you, Infidel!

We waited all these years for them to finally put out a decent copy of one of 1984's most popular film, and they have apparently screwed that up.

Now I have to wait for the High Definition version to see the movie in its proper aspect ratio...maybe...

The Infidel

After listening to the entire commentary, I'm convinced that they were watching the film, as they were talking, in the truly correct aspect ratio. In discussing a couple of shots, they were referring to things you couldn't even see in the shot. I referred back to the foolscreen copy I still have, and sure enough, more things cut off. I think this is why nothing was mentioned in the commentary about anything we've been referring to here. They may not have known about Warner's decision to screw us over at that point.

I'm emailing Warner to see if they will admit to the matting process, and if they reveal what the true aspect ratio is supposed to be.

I'm sorry, but this really burns me.

tommyp007

not OAR as advertised???

I'd waited so long.

rich-y

I've seen this mentioned twice in this thread and it's absolutely incorrect!

Both "Take me With U" and "I Would Die 4 U/Baby I'm a Star" are live concert footage videos.

I believe "Take Me With U" is from the "Prince Live" concert, but I'm not sure where "I Would Die 4 U" originated from (although I do remember both of them appearing on MTV).

BONUS: The video for "I Would Die 4 U/Baby I'm A Star" seems to last forever. It must be 20 Minutes long!!

DieselsDen

The I WOULD DIE FOR U/BABY I'M A STAR was a special broadcast video to MTV, filmed from the PURPLE RAIN tour, and it does last for approximately 20 minutes.

At least Warner Bros got the aspect ratio right on that one.

The TAKE ME WITH U video is taken from another concert. Funky editing on that one (with the background video landscape and so forth). It is not taken from the concert video, PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION LIVE.

Incidentally, the quality of the GIRLS AND BOYS and MOUNTAINS videos from UNDER THE CHERRY MOON look awful. My 20 year old VHS tapes have better quality.

isamu

Thanks for those impressions Infidel. I haven't picked this up yet but Im going to soon.

Got a few questions for you Prince fanatics...

1)Is the version of When Doves Cry the FULL version? Because I used to get really, REALLY annoyed when I used to watch it on Friday Night Videos and MTV and they would actually cut it and we would miss the last part where Wendy goes freakin nuts on the guitar and then you'd see that cool mirror reflection effect. That was my favorite part of the video!

2)I heard that among the deleted scenes in the movie is a full blown sex scene between Prince and Apollonia. Is this true?

3)Do you know if the concert film Sign of the Times is out on dvd?

4)Is there a Prince collection of videos on dvd?

5)Has it been revealed whether or not the scenes in the movie depicting Prince's dad(Played by Clarence Williams III) as an abusive husband towards his mother and having committed suicide is based on a true situation in Prince's life?

6)Can you list all the videos on both the PR SE and UtCM dvds?

The Infidel

1) I don't recall seeing another version, but I did watch the video on this disc, and I suppose it is the "full version", as it is the entire song.

2) This release provides no deleted scenes, as I mentioned in the post you quoted. However, in the commentary, they indicate that three versions of the sex scene were filmed; a G version, a PG version, and the R version which wound up in the movie.

3) Sign O' The Times is not available on an officially released disc. However, I have seen a foreign bootleg being sold at Best Buy. You can find this same disc being sold on eBay.

4) The only collection of videos I've seen is The Hits Collection, released in conjunction with the 3-CD set back in '93.

5) According to the commentary, events in the movie surrounding Prince's father are loosely based on real events, but mostly seem to be restricted to things his father has said in the past, and not actually done.

6) Purple Rain videos: Let's Go Crazy, When Doves Cry, I Would Die 4 U/Baby I'm A Star, Purple Rain, Jungle Love, The Bird, Sex Shooter. Under The Cherry Moon videos: Kiss, Mountains, Girls & Boys, Anotherloverholenyohead. And just to say we've listed everything...Graffiti Bridge videos: New Power Generation, The Question Of U, Thieves In The Temple, Round And Round.


BTW...I do stand corrected on the PR videos. I hadn't seen all the features at that point, and I guess I just assumed they were going to dick us over on those the same way they did on the aspect ratio. The version of I Would Die 4 U is very cool. The first 5 minutes is pretty much an exact duplication of the 12" vinyl single version that was about 10 minutes long, if memory serves. I used to own it way back when.

Altimus Prime

I wish this aspect ratio issue could be cleared up. And if WB is guilty of false advertising, maybe they owe consumers refunds. I bought this expecting to see it as it was seen on the movie screen, not to see a full-screen version with the top and bottom chopped off.

Then I looked at another recent WB release, and noted the different language used in describing the "widescreen." Here it is:

LOST BOYS: WIDESCREEN VERSION Presented in a "letterbox" widescreen format preserving the "scope" aspect ratio of its original theatrical exhibition. Enhanced for widescreen TVs.

PURPLE RAIN: WIDESCREEN VERSION Presented in a "matted" widescreen format preserving the aspect ratio of its original theatrical exhibition. Enhanced for widescreen TVs.

So does anyone know what the difference is, if any, between these two explanations?

The Infidel

Oh my freaking god...I never noticed that. It does say right on the box that it's matted. That means that the OAR actually is fullscreen. I'm so disillusioned, and also feel slightly silly for going on about this when it presents this information in plain English.

I still think it's a little misleading, though.

The difference between those two explanations is just as it states. Lost Boys' aspect ratio is something other than fullscreen, so if you were seeing it on a non-widescreen TV, you'd have the black bars, in a letterbox format. On a widescreen TV, if the aspect ratio was 1.85:1 (I'm not sure what Lost Boys is), there would be no black bars. Apparently Purple Rain's aspect ratio is fullscreen, and they essentially cut the top and bottom off the picture and made it anamorphic to satisfy everyone with widescreen TV's, like myself. But at the same time, they piss off the purists who want to see the entire picture as it was filmed, like myself. Unfortunately, this is a situation where you can't have it both ways.

One thing I just realized I don't fully grasp. From what I understand about the process, how can you matte a film and still preserve the "aspect ratio of its original theatrical exhibition"? This new release is pretty much 1.85:1. If that's the OAR, and it's supposedly been preserved for this disc, why would it be necessary to matte at all? Will someone who maybe knows a little more about this explain?

isamu

Thanks for the reply....

WTF??? Where's Take Me With U???? They left out Take me with U? OUTRAGE!!!

The Infidel

Sorry...I left it out inadvertantly...it's on there. Take your Ritalin, dude.

DieselsDen

Hi, Infidel -

I can't tell if you were being sarcastic in your first line. But I think Warner is implying PURPLE RAIN was shot full screen, and matted during projection for the theatres (which I do not believe is the case), and that therfore the new edition is presenting it as originally seen in theatres.

Remembering how I viewed the movie in the theatres,I don't believe PURPLE RAIN was ever intended to have an aspect ratio which is full screen. (1.33:1). What was projected in the theatres was a widescreen movie with more information on the sides than what has been available on either DVD.

I believe that the first PURPLE RAIN DVD was cropped at the edges (panned and scanned), and that what we have on the new disc is a letterboxing of the pan and scan version.

I don not believe what we are seeing is the OAR on either DVD.

But I could be wrong! Surely there is someone who knows.

DieselsDen

By the way, to answer Infidel's last question, you should note that ther are a lot of movies shot "square" then matted when projected in the theatres to hide some of the top and bottom picture information, as not intended to be seen by the director. When I worked in the theatres, we would have to activate the matte in order to conform a movie shot full screen to the widescreen wall.

Full screen is usually 1.33:1 ratio, while widescreen starts at about 1.85:1 and greater.

Some studios release the "square" version of the movie to home video for VHS, for instance, then matting it to preserve the original director's intent for DVD. For instance, WAR OF THE ROSES, JURASSIC PARK (save for some of the visual effects), and MIDNIGHT RUN show more picture information on the top and bottom when you watch it full screen than when you watch it letterboxed.

The Infidel

Although I do take great joy out of using sarcasm, both subtle and flagrant, at every opportunity, I truly did not see the matting mentioned on the back of the box. My flabbergastedness was legitimate.

Your explanation makes sense. They must have shot the movie in fullscreen and matted it for the theater. Since DVD's and HDTV's weren't exactly around twenty years ago, I wasn't really into paying much attention to things like aspect ratios. It was the summer between my junior and senior years of high school, and I was just happy to see Apollonia's jugs.

J.P.V.

"Scope" is Warner's way of saying that this transfer is anything from 2.20:1 to 2.76:1 (as in Ben-Hur) aspect ratios.

"Matted" are always 1.66:1, 1.78:1 and 1.85:1 transfers.

wolverine1028

I think I'll pass until maybe it shows up in a 2 for $15 deal.

DieselsDen

Well, my point actually is, I don't think it was shot full screen then matted for theatres. I think that it was shot widescreen, then cropped for home video. Then the cropped home video was matted for widescreen effect. So what we MAY be getting on the new DVD is a picture that's cropped on ALL sides.

I really believe that none of the DVDs show the correct OAR, but then again, I can only prove it by getting my hands on an actual print of the movie from 1984.

rich-y

Here's a review of the transfer I found on another website. No mention of this having the look of a non-widescreen movie simply being matted to "resemble" or "fake" widescreen:

The complete review can be read at:

http://www.chud.com/chudvd/reviews/purple.php3

thismeansyou

I just got this DVD; I'd never seen the movie and to be honest it was pretty bad and Prince can't act, but (most of) the music was awesome.

I have a question though: does this edition have a booklet or even just a single slip with the chapter listing? I bought it new and sealed from a major retailer and there's nothing where the booklet usually goes. I'd expect at least something there on a 2-disc 'special edition'...

DieselsDen

The DVD came with a 42 page book with lyric sheet and full color photos available only on the first 500 pressings. The first 100 pressings also came with the PURPLE RAIN soundtrack with four bonus songs (17 DAYS, EROTIC CITY, GOD and ANOTHER LONELY CHRISTMAS).


















Just kidding. There is no booklet....not even a crummy piece of paper.

cupon

The last Warner's two-disc promotion I remember was at best buy about a year and a half ago. I think it was 2 for $20. Or maybe it was 2 for $25.

I haven't seen anything like this since, so you're probably going to be waiting forever to see a deal on Prince 2-disc.

Since it's now Monday, it's probably a moot issue considering the B&M sale prices have expired.

chente

Don't forget that you can usually get these Warner 2-Disks via Columbia House, too.

Sweet Baby James

CH will have it for enrollment in 3 months.