Are they planning Special Editions of any of the Muppet movies? (11.29.05)
08-22-05, 10:09 PM
#52
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Originally Posted by chamfer
From ultimatedisney.com another mention of a p&s release!
"August 22, 2005 - Say it ain't so, Disney! The studio has also formally announced November's four much-anticipated Muppet movie DVD reissues and if their press release is accurate, they might as well proclaim, "Happy 50th birthday, Kermit the Frog! Hope you like pan-and-scan!" That's right, the single-disc "fully remastered and restored" 50th Anniversary Editions will apparently contain only 1.33:1 transfers of The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and Muppet Treasure Island."
"August 22, 2005 - Say it ain't so, Disney! The studio has also formally announced November's four much-anticipated Muppet movie DVD reissues and if their press release is accurate, they might as well proclaim, "Happy 50th birthday, Kermit the Frog! Hope you like pan-and-scan!" That's right, the single-disc "fully remastered and restored" 50th Anniversary Editions will apparently contain only 1.33:1 transfers of The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and Muppet Treasure Island."
Who do you have to screw to get Muppets in anamorphic?
08-22-05, 11:25 PM
#54
DVD Talk Legend
No way. No freaking way. You know they got a million phone calls about treasure island and the xmas carol disc the first time around. Why in the world would they do this. I'm putting a call into disney tommorow.
08-23-05, 02:58 AM
#55
DVD Talk Legend
call Disney at 1-800-723-4763, and or email [email protected] and show your dismay. Remember if you have kids to mention this. They are targeting these for families, because they believe families want P&S. Tell them otherwise.
Good reading...might want to take a few tips from here before firing off at disney.
Muppet Central Campaign
I also wouldn't mind seeing a thread dedicated to saving the OAR of these movies here on the forum. I think many people will pass this thread by, and won't get the info. However I'll let someone else take that. If you are emailing, link this forum so they can see what the consumers are saying.
Good reading...might want to take a few tips from here before firing off at disney.
Muppet Central Campaign
I also wouldn't mind seeing a thread dedicated to saving the OAR of these movies here on the forum. I think many people will pass this thread by, and won't get the info. However I'll let someone else take that. If you are emailing, link this forum so they can see what the consumers are saying.
08-23-05, 08:26 AM
#57
DVD Talk Legend
No sale... it's as simple as that. Disney will sell 4 DVDs to me if they were the proper widescreen. 4:3? Nope.
(On a side note, Disney had no issues releasing the Christmas Carol and Treasure Island movies in widescreen on *laserdisc* over 10 years ago. Who's the genius who's in charge of releasing them TWICE now on DVD in an improper aspect ratio?)
(On a side note, Disney had no issues releasing the Christmas Carol and Treasure Island movies in widescreen on *laserdisc* over 10 years ago. Who's the genius who's in charge of releasing them TWICE now on DVD in an improper aspect ratio?)
08-23-05, 09:38 AM
#58
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First, Buena Vista press releases have been wrong before, so let's hope that's the case this time, too.
Second, if it is true, I'm really surprised. I had written a column when BVHE first released Muppet Treasure Island that took Disney to task for releasing it P&S. I did not mince words. I then heard from two Disney insiders that my column had caused a stir at BVHE and that folks at Henson Productions had used it to prove their point that the DVD should have been OAR. So I'm surprised by that--not that anything I write could have created a change but that Henson Productions seemed resolute in not letting it happen again. Then again, the dynamics of that whole business arrangement have changed a few times since the first disc was released, so the same people probably aren't making the decisions.
Third, also according to the press release, the commentary by Brian Henson and Muppets) has been dropped from the Muppet Treasure Island SE. That might be just as well. As I pointed out in my original write-up, he discusses things during the opening number that don't appear on the screen due to P&S.
Second, if it is true, I'm really surprised. I had written a column when BVHE first released Muppet Treasure Island that took Disney to task for releasing it P&S. I did not mince words. I then heard from two Disney insiders that my column had caused a stir at BVHE and that folks at Henson Productions had used it to prove their point that the DVD should have been OAR. So I'm surprised by that--not that anything I write could have created a change but that Henson Productions seemed resolute in not letting it happen again. Then again, the dynamics of that whole business arrangement have changed a few times since the first disc was released, so the same people probably aren't making the decisions.
Third, also according to the press release, the commentary by Brian Henson and Muppets) has been dropped from the Muppet Treasure Island SE. That might be just as well. As I pointed out in my original write-up, he discusses things during the opening number that don't appear on the screen due to P&S.
08-23-05, 11:07 AM
#60
DVD Talk Legend
With other sites reporting anamorphic 1.85 previously, what are the chances these are dual sided? A waste of a side for sure, but you can always ignore the fullscreen side.
08-23-05, 12:14 PM
#61
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Tried calling the BV number, but it doesn't allow me to make any choice [out of 6 possible options]. Then it just disconnects me.
08-23-05, 12:42 PM
#62
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Originally Posted by milo bloom
With other sites reporting anamorphic 1.85 previously, what are the chances these are dual sided? A waste of a side for sure, but you can always ignore the fullscreen side.
08-23-05, 01:07 PM
#63
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I wrote an email to them - I basically questioned how visually ruining the film's theatrical widescreen imagery for mass audiences is in any way "honoring" Jim and Brian Henson's films.
08-23-05, 01:12 PM
#64
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Muppet movies and their AR
I called Disney this morning and found out that there is going to be a choice on whether you would like to watch the movie in widescreen or full frame. This is going to be for all of the muppet movies.
08-23-05, 01:18 PM
#65
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Originally Posted by Giles
I wrote an email to them - I basically questioned how visually ruining the film's theatrical widescreen imagery for mass audiences is in any way "honoring" Jim and Brian Henson's films.
After I found out they still remembered me voicing my concern about the COLORIZED "Absent Minded Professor" a year or two after I did it, the toll-free number is the way to go for me..
08-23-05, 01:22 PM
#66
DVD Talk Special Edition
I just sent them this email:
It's been a very exciting couple of weeks since I first heard the news that Disney would be re-releasing remastered, special edition DVDs from its recently acquired Muppet franchise. I was anticipating a very antsy few months, waiting for these favorite movies to be available.
However, in the last day or two, it has been brought to the attention of Muppet fans everywhere that these movies are going to be released in Pan & Scan!!! It's difficult to express my shock and disappointment. Movie fans want to watch 100% of the movie on our screens, not the middle 70%!
It's hard to imagine what justification was used to make this terrible decision. If it's the continuing notion that a full-frame presentation is "family friendly", please keep in mind that a quickly growing percentage of households are watching their DVDs on widescreen televisions. A film that comes with the warning "This movie has been modified from its original version. It has been formatted to fit your screen." is a flat out lie to those with widescreen TVs, and is a bane to those with standard televisions who still prefer to watch movies in their original aspect ratios. Children will rarely care what aspect ratio a movie is in; let the adults have the original widescreen presentation that they long for! I'd hazard a guess that the majority of Muppet fans are the adults, like myself, who grew up with the Muppets from the late 70's through the 80's.
Please reconsider this devastating decision before these disappointing releases go into production. I was eagerly planning to buy all four Muppet releases as soon as I could get my hands on them, but as Pan & Scan releases, I'm not interested in buying any of them. I wasn't able to buy the original DVD releases of Muppet Treasure Island and Muppet Christmas Carol for this exact reason. I have VHS releases with that content. I also have 900 other DVDs to choose from in my collection; a collection that has a lot less Disney content than I would like due to Disney's persistence in only providing Pan & Scan versions of its wonderful classic films.
Take pride in the films that have been produced by Disney for generations. Don't lock the original versions of these films in the Disney vaults, only allowing us to watch them through the reduced visibility of a standard television aspect ratio. These films are perfect just as Disney created them. Allow the American public to view them this way!
Thank you for your consideration,
Colleen
However, in the last day or two, it has been brought to the attention of Muppet fans everywhere that these movies are going to be released in Pan & Scan!!! It's difficult to express my shock and disappointment. Movie fans want to watch 100% of the movie on our screens, not the middle 70%!
It's hard to imagine what justification was used to make this terrible decision. If it's the continuing notion that a full-frame presentation is "family friendly", please keep in mind that a quickly growing percentage of households are watching their DVDs on widescreen televisions. A film that comes with the warning "This movie has been modified from its original version. It has been formatted to fit your screen." is a flat out lie to those with widescreen TVs, and is a bane to those with standard televisions who still prefer to watch movies in their original aspect ratios. Children will rarely care what aspect ratio a movie is in; let the adults have the original widescreen presentation that they long for! I'd hazard a guess that the majority of Muppet fans are the adults, like myself, who grew up with the Muppets from the late 70's through the 80's.
Please reconsider this devastating decision before these disappointing releases go into production. I was eagerly planning to buy all four Muppet releases as soon as I could get my hands on them, but as Pan & Scan releases, I'm not interested in buying any of them. I wasn't able to buy the original DVD releases of Muppet Treasure Island and Muppet Christmas Carol for this exact reason. I have VHS releases with that content. I also have 900 other DVDs to choose from in my collection; a collection that has a lot less Disney content than I would like due to Disney's persistence in only providing Pan & Scan versions of its wonderful classic films.
Take pride in the films that have been produced by Disney for generations. Don't lock the original versions of these films in the Disney vaults, only allowing us to watch them through the reduced visibility of a standard television aspect ratio. These films are perfect just as Disney created them. Allow the American public to view them this way!
Thank you for your consideration,
Colleen
08-23-05, 01:24 PM
#67
Moderator
Originally Posted by Rogue588
Emails can, and i'm sure they are, easily dismissed.
08-23-05, 01:51 PM
#68
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From David Boulet at the HTF:
"My Rep just got back to me with what he's been able to find out.
The 4 Muppet DVDs will contain dual-aspect ratio presentations of all 4 movies...both WS 16x9 and P/S presentations will be on each disc.
Great news and since these are true "Pan and scan" examples...it will be a good "see what you're missing" demo for folks who need to get educated about widescreen...and they'll have both versions on the same DVD.
I'm thrilled. Let's see what comes in the official press...my rep said that he alerted the PR folks and that an updated press release should follow soon..."
"My Rep just got back to me with what he's been able to find out.
The 4 Muppet DVDs will contain dual-aspect ratio presentations of all 4 movies...both WS 16x9 and P/S presentations will be on each disc.
Great news and since these are true "Pan and scan" examples...it will be a good "see what you're missing" demo for folks who need to get educated about widescreen...and they'll have both versions on the same DVD.
I'm thrilled. Let's see what comes in the official press...my rep said that he alerted the PR folks and that an updated press release should follow soon..."
08-23-05, 03:00 PM
#69
DVD Talk Legend
*cough*
08-23-05, 10:02 PM
#70
DVD Talk Legend
I can also confirm that my Disney represenative (Lana) assured me that the press release was incorrect and that all four dvd's will give the choice of WS or P&S presentations. She however could not confirm or deny the lack of the Brian henson commentaries from the previous disney disc. She told me she would contact me with that info when she could confirm them one way or the other.
She was very helpful.
When you call the number you can automatically press Zero a few times to get to the operator. This will keep you out of the automated system.
She was very helpful.
When you call the number you can automatically press Zero a few times to get to the operator. This will keep you out of the automated system.
08-24-05, 12:12 AM
#72
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Wow, that was scary. For a second I was about to get royally pissed off at Disney, but now it's not so bad anymore. Muppet Christmas Carol is my favorite version of A Christmas Carol and I own (sadly) the FS version of it and would like to see it in widescreen again. I saw it in the theater, in 1992, when I was 8 years old!
08-26-05, 11:59 AM
#75
DVD Talk Legend
now i just wish they would give us some more of that old test footage. The extras seem a bit lackluster so far. The commentary issue bothers me. I still have not heard back on whether they will be included. Someone may want to make those available for podcast later.