View Full Version : Anyone get The Dead Zone SE (R2) out today?
I'm interested in getting this and wondered if anyone has picked it up today, what's the quality like?
Cheers
/\
Just in case anyone who has it missed this post
here's hoping!
vanmunchen
05-03-2002, 18:17
Picture quality is very good. It is anamorphic 1:85 but what I don't understand is that it doesn't automatically unsqueeze. I have to adjust my Sony 32" TV manually to "wide" to view correctly. I've never come across this on any other disc. On a PC you can only see it squeezed so it must be some sort of decoding fault on the disc. I'd be interested to know if others have the same problem. Incidentally, it is Region free!
What's the commentary like?
thedapman
06-03-2002, 17:49
Is it uncut? UK video versions have always been missing the scene with the policeman and the scissors!!! If you've seen the uncut version you'll know what I mean - probably one of the more memorable ways of topping yourself.
I remember reading about that in a copy of Sight and Sound - it HAS been released uncut, but only on a Woolworths-exclusive double bill tape with Firestarter.
I got the disc today, and in response to this thread I put it in my PC, and it has the 'squashed' effect on my system too.
If I can view it in widescreen ok on my 4:3 cheap DVD player setup then i won't mind - but if i have problem i wont be a happy chappy!
vanmunchen
06-03-2002, 21:46
The DVD is definately uncut. The commentary track by Stephen Jones and Kim Newman is excellent. Enthusiastic, informative and scene specific.
Cheers guys, it just made the (way too long!) *must have* list!
kerbcrawler
07-03-2002, 12:36
Re the cuts to Dead Zone.... I think this, like Videodrome and perhaps also Children Of The Corn, was originally cut for video by the distributor (CIC?) in the wake of the original 'video nasties' debacle. I don't think it, or any other Cronenberg movie, was ever cut by the BBFC but I'm not so sure about COTC.
The DEAD ZONE R2 dvd is a Sanctuary release like THE BOUNTY (SE) R2 which I got on Tuesday ............. & guess what ........ I have to manually put my tv into 16:9 mode to get THE BOUNTY (SE) into it's proper 2.35:1 ratio ; on auto mode it just goes to a 'squeezed' 1.78:1 ratio.
Guess there must have been a decoding bug included during the mastering process or something , though I hate to be too critical as the disc is an excellent package otherwise.
Originally posted by kerbcrawler
Re the cuts to Dead Zone.... I think this, like Videodrome and perhaps also Children Of The Corn, was originally cut for video by the distributor (CIC?) in the wake of the original 'video nasties' debacle. I don't think it, or any other Cronenberg movie, was ever cut by the BBFC but I'm not so sure about COTC.
Along with "Children Of The Corn", "Halloween 3" and some others, Thorn EMI cut "The Dead Zone" of its own accord for VHS rental relase back in 1984. The later 4-Front edition restores all the cuts - the way to tell is to watch the scene with the scissors. If it's there and makes sense, the film is uncut.
scaramanga
08-03-2002, 01:51
Ive got the R1 and R2 versions now. Im no expert but the picture deffinatly looks more vibrent and clean on the R1. Anyone back me up on that? Im only watching it on a 4:3, 20" TV so im a bit unsure of my judgement. I want to know which one to keep.
Apart from boasting out loud that it's the uncut version including the scissors-suicide scene on the back cover, it appears to be permanently stretched into anamorphic mode, a great shame for anyone who doesn't have a widescreen television or a 16:9 squash mode on their 4:3 TV.
Neil Irving
08-03-2002, 16:22
Originally posted by RDNZL
The DEAD ZONE R2 dvd is a Sanctuary release like THE BOUNTY (SE) R2 which I got on Tuesday ............. & guess what ........ I have to manually put my tv into 16:9 mode to get the film into the proper 2.35:1 ratio ; on auto mode it just goes to a 'squeezed' 1.78:1 ratio.
.
I've not got this R2 release, but I checked the box in HMV at lunchtime, and it says letterboxed edition, rather than widescreen, so it will not be 16:9 enhanced. Also I believe the film to be 1.85:1 & not 2.35:1 (Don't think Cronenberg's ever shot a 2.35:1 film).
Neil - regardless of what the box says, it most definitely IS anamorphic. You don't actually have a choice whether to view it in anamorphic mode or not - it's permanently stretched!
Neil ...............
If you re - read my post you should see that I was discussing THE BOUNTY (se) & comparing it with THE DEAD ZONE since they are both distributed by the company & seem to suffer from the same problem.
Apologies if my wording didn't convey this properly (original post now edited). :D
vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2012, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.