Is the MGM R2 anamorphic "ANNIE HALL" the best available transfer?
 

Like many of you, I was disappointed when MGM released the first Woody box, and ported over the old non-anamorphic transfer of "Annie Hall". It's my favorite Allen film, my wife's favorite, and possibly yours. I definitely want it in the best available format, and now that I've got a widescreen TV the 16x9 enhancement has taken on a new significance for me.

And, yes, I've searched! Here, there, everywhere... DVD Beaver, DVD Compare, etc. It's noted that this disc is anamorphic in various threads here, DVD Compare seems to assume it's a better transfer without much comment, and DVD Beaver has not compared the various versions.

So, as near as I can tell, it remains an open question as to whether the anamorphic transfers (R2-UK, R2-France, R4-Australia-OOP?) are actually superior to the R1 non-anamorphic.

Has anyone compared these? Does anyone have any of the anamorphic releases about which you can comment?

Thanks! :)

So no one's seen the anamorphic "Annie Hall" transfer? Wow, I'm surprised! Sort of a popular movie, I'd thought.

Not so expensive, so I guess I wouldn't mind chancing a purchase. But before I do, one last time... anybody got an opinion on the quality of the R2 anamorphic "Annie Hall"?

I have a question about the R2 DVD as well. Are the subtitles fixed in the "thinking" scene?

Groucho, I'm not sure I follow your question exactly, but it's my understanding that the subs on the R2 disc also include the, er, "helpful" annotation that the characters are thinking the subbed dialog as opposed to speaking it.

Can't seem to escape that annoying little addition in any region... or at least I don't think so. With such little available info about the various "Annie Hall" releases, maybe somewhere there is a version that plays this scene without idiot-proofing the punch-line.

OK... I know this is not much more than a thread-bump (sorry!), but I thought I'd try one last time before making an order...

No one has any clue whatsoever how the R2 anamorphic "Annie Hall" stacks up against the R1 non-anamorphic version? Not even a passing comment from a friend-of-a-friend?

I don't want to be all pesty, but I'm very surprised. Hell, there are more comments about the R2 "Garfield" release on this forum!

i recently purchased the anamorphic region 4 annie hall, but i have not had a chance to view it. if i have time later i will do an A-B comparison of the non-anamorphic region 1 disc against the PAL R4 16:9.

dsharpie, thanks!!! :)

I also posted this queston on the Home Theater Forum's regional DVD area, which tends to get a lot less traffic than this page. But wouldn't you know it, even after a few days and despite quite a few looks, not a single person had an opinion.

I guess me love for this movie is of the rarefied variety!