Gaining a new appreciation
 

You know the films. The ones you've seen countless times on TV - edited, condensed, chopped up with commercials, full screen.

The ones you've seen on VHS, full screen, poor sound and video.

But then you see it on DVD and ... WOW! Glorious image and sound. Original aspect ratio. Unedited. Unchopped. No commercials. The way it was meant to be. Or maybe in some cases, even better than the theater.

So through the DVD format, what movies would you say you've gained a new-found appreciation for?

For me, I'd say the one that stands out the most is The Final Countdown. I had only seen this on TV. The new DVD, when I saw it, blew me away with its incredible look, sound and proper OAR presentation.

Red Dawn is one of my favs. The DVD isn't really that great but it was better than seeing it on TV like I always had to.

Scarface.

Since I just watched the new DVD, I would say Top Gun.

Well it didn't even take DVD, but when I got the letterbox VHS of the original SW trilogy, I was blown away.

Wrath of Kahn was pretty amazing, particularly when I got the director's cut and finally saw the version I grew up with taped off ABC.
The Motion Picture was a pretty good change, though that was an entirely new cut.

Mine would be the Superman movies. Especially the first one, the restoration and remastering of the transfer and sound mix was unbelievable! I had never seen it in Widescreen before, it was a revelation!

And I'm still waiting for Monsters Squad!

I'd have to say older horror movies. So many times I've watched 'em on TV or old VHS tapes and the quality always sucked. It's a marvel to view them with sharp details and bright colors. And that's not including OAR... plus seeing them uncut.

"Misery" and "Contact"

"Halloween" was a completely different film for me when I first saw it on DVD in the proper OAR.

For me, I would say BraveHeart...

Star Wars is what weened me off Pan&Scan for good. It wasn't on DVD, it was the widescreen VHS, but still. Those films are a sin in P&S.

Then there's stuff like UHF, which I was blown away even made it onto DVD. I paid $42 for an OOP VHS copy in 1999. Three years later I bought the DVD for $10! I can't say the presentation blew me away. It's an Open Matte film, so it wasn't hacked up for TV, but seeing it in widescreen for the first time in 13 years was pretty cool.

I think what I get more is the other side of the coin. Once you see a movie in DVD quality and widescreen, there's no way you can watch the hacked up, edited, time compressed piece of crap that goes by the same name, but in no way represents that film.

Comedy Central runs the South Park movie quite a bit, but I can't sit through their presentation when I know I have it sitting on my shelf. Sure it's uncut (an edited version would probably run about 12 minutes), but seeing the hacked up frame work, not to mention the commericals, makes me ill.

I can only think of one movie I'd rather watch on TV, and that's Born In East L.A. The DVD is in widescreen, yes, but it also includes a hacked up film with 20 minutes missing from the third act. The TV version is so much better, and makes so much more sense than the one on my shelf. Other than that, TV presentations are dead to me.

Mad Max. Seeing the new undubbed version. I'd seen the film many, many times, but it was like seeing it for the first time.

Regarding a couple flicks mentioned...

Scarface is probably the closest I've gotten to a "blind buy." I had only seen bits and pieces on TV, and it interested me enough to buy it. Great flick.

I just bought Top Gun, and am looking forward to watching it. I'm guessing this will fall into the "greater appreciation" category, as I've mostly seen it on TV many, many times in the past, but not recently.

Superman and Superman II are both ones on my "to get" list, and I'll probably grab at least the first one soon. I hear it's a pretty good release.

I have a new appreciation for Scarface, due to the fact that the print they usually show on TV is P&S, and is a grainy print. ;)

Also, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Watching it in P&S is a terrifying experience.

Road House

After viewing it on DVD (instead of the countless times it airs Saturday nights on TBS) it deserves to be on the AFI 100.

La Dolce Vita (Medusa)

L'Aventura (Criterion)


Pro-B

I'd say most movies I've bought on DVD, the fact they're in Widescreen makes the world of difference

Ones that really stick out are Chrismas Vacation and A Christmas story. I must have watched these on TV or on tape or Full Frame DVD 20-30 times. Finally seeing these two movies in Widescreen was great.

I almost never watch movies on TV anymore, unless they are shown in their OAR.

the first two that come to mind are Robocop and Office Space

I loved the Robocop movies growing up, but had never seen the unrated version of the first one. Finally got my hands on the Criterion version and it just was a totally different movie then I remembered, but after some time I remembered why I liked the movie so much. Office Space, I always watched on Comedy Central when it was on there, finally bought the DVD the other day, and just liked it a whole lot more.

You mean it's not?! That's it, I'm canceling my AFI membership.

What did you like more about Office Space on DVD? I just watched the DVD for the first time this past weekend (have seen the movie numerous times on regular TV), and while I still love the movie, it didn't seem any different to me.



Stew

Recently, I would say Top Gun is newly appreciated with the SE release. Star Wars was wonderful to see in DVD glory, too.

another vote for Mad Max, the un-dubbed version was noticably different for sure.

The soundtrack in that one sucks. Most hokey sounding gun shots I've ever heard. Especially during the deer hunting scene.

I've put off getting the Mad Max series for a while, because I'm unsure about the A/V quality of the two sequals. How is the A/V quality of all three?

The first one definately has the best DVD treatment of the three with the MGM Special Edition. The other two are early WB releases, and they're not good by today's standards but they're at least bareable. It's been a while since I've watched Beyond Thunderdome, but I remember that the Dolby 5.1 soundtrack on Road Warrior sounds pretty decent. The picture is grainy, but at least it's Anamorphic. It beats watching them edited and in P&S on TBS, but I really wish The Road Warrior could get one of those nifty WB 2-Disc Special Editions. Maybe someday.

Das Boot-Superbit

so thats what it's supposed to sound like!

I was thrilled to finally see all of the James Bond films in Widescreen glory for the first time. Still the pride of my collection.