Bertolucci's THE CONFORMIST to be released in 4:3. HELP!!
08-19-05 | 05:42 PM
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From: Seattle
Bertolucci's THE CONFORMIST to be released in 4:3. HELP!!
Courtesy of a poster at HTF, there is hard evidence that Paramount is in the early stages of mastering Bernardo Bertolucci's 1970 masterpiece, The Conformist, in a 4:3 Pan & Scan DVD release (the film was shot in an OAR of 1.66:1).
This news comes from famous colorist Lou Levinson of Post Logic Studios (in the 1990's Levinson worked with the film's legendary cinematographer, Vittorio Storaro, on the VHS transfer). Levinson is quoted in the most recent issue of the magazine Widescreen Review. The quote in question is available online for free, on page 126:
I am absolutely floored that Paramount would even think of cropping this masterpiece, which Michael Atkinson of the Village Voice wrote recently "may [represent] the apex of color cinematography."
I propose that we carpet-bomb Paramount with [polite but forecful] emails to get them to correct this awful mistake before it's too late. Here is the email address for the head of PR at Paramount Home Entertainment (who wrote me just last week that the film wasn't on their production schedule):
[email protected]
This news comes from famous colorist Lou Levinson of Post Logic Studios (in the 1990's Levinson worked with the film's legendary cinematographer, Vittorio Storaro, on the VHS transfer). Levinson is quoted in the most recent issue of the magazine Widescreen Review. The quote in question is available online for free, on page 126:
I may have to do some things on The Conformist today. After all these years, Paramount may actually get that out into the world. It's a 4:3 version which, of course, I'm a conscientious objector to, but I have no choice but to do it. That's just one of those things, where as much as things tend to be driven by accountants, you wish somebody could convince them that if you do a movie in its original composition, then it's cheaper. It takes a lot less time. No one has been able to sell that yet, because they are still convinced that none of this stuff sells unless it's filling the screen.
I propose that we carpet-bomb Paramount with [polite but forecful] emails to get them to correct this awful mistake before it's too late. Here is the email address for the head of PR at Paramount Home Entertainment (who wrote me just last week that the film wasn't on their production schedule):
[email protected]
08-19-05 | 06:15 PM
#2
DVD Talk Limited Edition
There may be an even worse problem with this release. Last month TCM showed this movie and in a rare oversight for them, they showed a dubbed version. I shut it off after about 5 minutes but IIRC it was a letterboxed print.
08-19-05 | 06:15 PM
#3
DVD Talk Legend
That friggin' sucks.
08-19-05 | 06:33 PM
#5
DVD Talk Legend
This really surprises me because Paramount has been very, very good about supporting OAR. Of all the major studios (not counting Criterion), they are the last I would expect to hear about doing something like this.
Yeah, the new SE of The Truman Show is cropped a little to 1.78:1 when it should be 1.66:1, and it's a bit strange to hear Storaro complaining when he himself has decided to crop some of his 2.35:1 films to fit his univision concept of 2:1 (Apocalypse Now and Tucker: the Man and his Dream), but I don't think Paramount has ever released a title in fullscreen (4:3) only.
Yeah, the new SE of The Truman Show is cropped a little to 1.78:1 when it should be 1.66:1, and it's a bit strange to hear Storaro complaining when he himself has decided to crop some of his 2.35:1 films to fit his univision concept of 2:1 (Apocalypse Now and Tucker: the Man and his Dream), but I don't think Paramount has ever released a title in fullscreen (4:3) only.
08-19-05 | 06:45 PM
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Originally Posted by FilmFanSea
I propose that we carpet-bomb Paramount.
08-19-05 | 07:56 PM
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DVD Talk Special Edition
Add me to the list of emailers...even if the 4:3 dubbed story is false, maybe if they get enough inquiries, they'll finally release The Conformist on DVD (in it's OAR & in Italian, of course) or, as I suggested in my email, license the title to Criterion.
08-19-05 | 08:00 PM
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From: Seattle
Originally Posted by RevKarl
or, as I suggested in my email, license the title to Criterion.
If your company absolutely cannot justify spending another nickel on this release, I would further implore you to make an exception in your corporate policy (just this once) and license it to the Criterion Collection which, I suspect, would be more than delighted to take on the challenge.
08-19-05 | 09:45 PM
#10
DVD Talk Special Edition
Tough call (as there are some rabid Last Tango in Paris fans out there,) but it did come in #55 in Sight & Sound's latest poll (2002). No other Bertolucci film cracked the top 125.
Email sent.
08-20-05 | 01:24 AM
#12
DVD Talk Special Edition
it would be open matte, not pan and scan, in fact do you think Paramount misunderstood his preference for cropping his widescreen films to his univision standards for this particular film?
08-20-05 | 01:31 AM
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From: Blu-ray.com
If this turns out to be the case...what a TRAVESTY!!!
I have pretty much given up on most of the major studios anyway and nowadays import more than actually buying local product. But how could you even consider such an approach???? Esp. when so AMNY PEOPLE in R1 land have been looking forward to hear some good news (email sent)
To answer a comment above...I am actually one of the few people that believes that Last Tango in Paris is the maestro's best!! Which actually reminds me that the MGM version is now on my top priority 2DVD SE-list.
Por-B
I have pretty much given up on most of the major studios anyway and nowadays import more than actually buying local product. But how could you even consider such an approach???? Esp. when so AMNY PEOPLE in R1 land have been looking forward to hear some good news (email sent)
To answer a comment above...I am actually one of the few people that believes that Last Tango in Paris is the maestro's best!! Which actually reminds me that the MGM version is now on my top priority 2DVD SE-list.
Por-B
08-26-05 | 11:43 AM
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From: Seattle
Official Response from Paramount:
[emphasis added]
Thanks to everyone who sent emails.
Hi Brian.
I did some digging in to this issue and have confirmed that the information is inaccurate. Paramount will be releasing The Conformist in its original aspect ratio. We're still in the early stages of the transfer so I don't have a street date confirmed or anything but we want to make sure this film is done right equally as much as all the fans do.
I'd appreciate if you could share this correction with the members of your forums.
Best.
Brenda
I did some digging in to this issue and have confirmed that the information is inaccurate. Paramount will be releasing The Conformist in its original aspect ratio. We're still in the early stages of the transfer so I don't have a street date confirmed or anything but we want to make sure this film is done right equally as much as all the fans do.
I'd appreciate if you could share this correction with the members of your forums.
Best.
Brenda
Thanks to everyone who sent emails.
Last edited by FilmFanSea; 08-26-05 at 11:46 AM.
08-27-05 | 12:19 AM
#16
This is most relieving.
Is it Bertolucci's best? I think so, yes. 1900 is tremendous, but at some point it just becomes too unweildy for its own good, IMO.
Is it Bertolucci's best? I think so, yes. 1900 is tremendous, but at some point it just becomes too unweildy for its own good, IMO.
08-27-05 | 12:44 AM
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From: Blu-ray.com
Originally Posted by wendersfan
This is most relieving.
Is it Bertolucci's best?
Is it Bertolucci's best?
Ciao,
Pro-B
08-27-05 | 07:38 AM
#18
In my case that question was somewhat rhetorical. 
08-31-06 | 05:16 PM
#20
DVD Talk Special Edition
I've caught it twice before on TCM. The first time they showed the dubbed version with the blind dance sequence inserted, (no sound for that part.) Then last time they aired the Italian language track version with subs which was a huge surprise. I'd love to see a version with the blind dance sequence subtitled.
Still waiting for that DVD Paramount....
Maybe TCM could do us a favor and show a new print of if... since Paramount can't figure out what to do with that either.
Still waiting for that DVD Paramount....
Maybe TCM could do us a favor and show a new print of if... since Paramount can't figure out what to do with that either.
09-01-06 | 09:30 AM
#25
DVD Talk Legend
We've known for a year that The Conformist will be released in widescreen (the thread is a year old). Giles bumped it to tell people that TCM is playing the movie.
However, it's a year later and we still don't have the DVD.
However, it's a year later and we still don't have the DVD.