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Author Topic: No SE for TITANIC -- WTF? Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 09-10-2003 12:56 AM                     Who do I have to be screwing in Hollywood to get them to produce a Special Edition DVD of TITANIC? This one's a slam-dunk no-brainer. What could they possibly be waiting for?  |  IP: Logged Paul Linfesty Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1383 From: Bakersfield, CA, USA Registered: Nov 1999 posted 09-10-2003 01:15 AM                     Waiting for James Cameron. For some reason he's taking a sabbatical. From anything fictional. And Paramount isn't exactly the home video studio that pushes for these kind of DVD's.  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 09-10-2003 02:00 AM                     Special Edition? What was wrong with the orginal? I do know that the engine room scenes from the movie were filmed on board the SS Jeremiah O'Brien in the San Francisco Bay. It apparently was the only operational and seaworthy ship they could find that used the triple-expansion steam engine. Hers had three cylinders, where the Titanic had four cylinder engines. Just for general information, The O'Brien has a three cruises scheduled for October of this year. The one on October 11 is already sold out. They allow for tours of the engine room while the ship is under weigh. In March of 2004, she goes into drydock for a special inspection to keep her certified. It is going to cost the foundation about $500,000 for this inspection. The SS Jeremiah O'Brien is the sole operative unaltered surviver of 2,751 liberty ships built during World Wat II. She thus represents the largest single class ships ever built in the world. Her hull number is 230, and was built by the New England Shipbuilding Company of Portland, Maine. It was launched on June 19 of 1943. Remember this picture? [ 09-10-2003, 03:24 AM: Message edited by: Paul G. Thompson ]  |  IP: Logged Hillary Charles Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 748 From: York, PA, USA Registered: Feb 2001 posted 09-10-2003 07:06 AM                     There were so many other scenes shot, including those involving the Californian, whose wireless operator was admonished to "shut up" by the Titanic's wireless operator, when he was trying to warn them of icebergs. Subsequently, the inaction of the Californian (even after seeing the distress flares) has become a major part of the Titanic story. Because of that relevance, it would be nice to see them within the body of an SE version. I guess it was too important to keep all the fictional stuff, to retain such actual historical scenes.  |  IP: Logged Mark Ogden Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 943 From: Little Falls, N.J. Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-10-2003 08:34 AM                     Here's the question I have for people whenever this issue pops up: exactly how many times are you willing fork over for the same movie? I for one am really goddamned tired of buying a DVD movie, then seeing the same film subsequently released in a "Special Edition" followed by a "Director's Cut" followed by an "Enhanced Edition" followed by a "Superbit Edition" followed by the "Definitive Edition" (as witnessed by everyone who coughed green for all the "T2" discs). It's all designed to seperate you from your bucks, and the studios KNOW that people fall for it, that's why it happens. All you have to do is promise a ton of marginal extras to get the wallets out again. Look at the new disc of There's Something About Mary. Six hours of extras? How much could there be to say about this movie? Deleted scenes? Do you know why scenes are deleted from movies? Because they aren't any good, that's why. Because when the film was made, they didn't add anything to it. Yet let somebody uncover a 10 sec. clip of Cameron Diaz making faces at the camera between takes and hey! Deluxe edition on it's way! Another $24.95 please!! I mean, c'mon. I'm sorry to rant, but this infuriates me to no end. It's just marketing, and it's just foolishness, IMveryHO.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 09-10-2003 08:45 AM                        "Uno sciocco e il suo denaro son presto separati." or "A fool and his money are soon parted". Humorist Will Rogers also said "A fool and his money are soon ELECTED".  |  IP: Logged Ron Lacheur Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 650 From: British Columbia, Canada Registered: Feb 2002 posted 09-10-2003 09:07 AM                     Hollywood is going to shoot themselves in the foot with this marketing technique called " Double Dipping ".  |  IP: Logged Evans A Criswell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1579 From: Huntsville, AL, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 09-10-2003 09:55 AM                        The main reason I'd like to have a new DVD transfer of Titanic is because the first disc was not anamorphic. A new transfer would look much better on a 16x9 set. An anamorphic transfer of a scope movie uses around 357 (probably 360 is used most of the time) scan lines (since some black must be used at the top and bottom), while a non-anamorphic one uses around 268. The anamorphic transfer gives a 33 percent increase in resolution when viewed on a widescreen set. Thankfully, most studios don't pull this stunt any more of making a non-anamorphic transfer for their first release, then go in a year or two later and do an anamorphic transfer. Anyway, if you want to watch Titanic, there is a trailer for Titanic on one of the early DTS demo DVDs. It's not anamorphic, but it sounds great. Just watch that -- it's a long trailer and it's almost as good as watching the movie, and it takes far less time. :-)  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 09-10-2003 10:24 AM                     quote: Here's the question I have for people whenever this issue pops up: exactly how many times are you willing fork over for the same movie? I'm no stranger to this mode of thinking. In fact, I have cried out against double-dipping right here on this forum. So it's not that I disagree with you. I don't yet own TITANIC on DVD because I am waiting for the inevitable SE. I learned the hard way with Laserdiscs that if you really think a movie ought to have "a ton of marginal extras" that it's best to wait because the version will eventually materialize. quote: I guess it was too important to keep all the fictional stuff, to retain such actual historical scenes. Hillary, I don't think you are being fair. The movie is clearly a work of fiction and I don't have a problem with them using the most notorious disaster as a setting. I think it was a stroke of creative genius and I think the filmmakers were well within their rights to include/exclude facts based on the relevance to the fictional story. The involvement of the Californian and Carpathia is covered adequately in various documentaries and the still-brilliant British classic A NIGHT TO REMEMBER which is, by various accounts, the most accurate docudrama about the Titanic disaster. You really should get your hands on a copy if you haven't yet seen it. For the record, I am not really that interested in seeing a re-edited version or a Director's Cut. I am happy with the theatrical release (although ours began with the Fox logo) but an anamorphic transfer and at least a director's commentary and an in-depth behind-the-scenes documentary (and not some made-for-HBO promo). And who's looking at still photos on their DVD player? This is a crap feature that they ought to do away with. Nobody wants that stuff, do they? Also in the "not really a special feature" category would be previews for OTHER movies. Some studios call this "Recommendations" but it's really just another way of saying "crap." Now, if you asked me, I'd have to say that THOSE are "marginal extras."  |  IP: Logged Aaron Garman Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1470 From: Toledo, OH USA Registered: Mar 2003 posted 09-10-2003 12:44 PM                     I would definitely buy a new SE of Titanic if it became available. All I ask for is a new, 16x9 transfer, DTS (full bitrate would be nice, but not likely to happen), deleted scenes, trailers, and maybe a commentary with James Cameron or a Titanic historian. I wish Fox had gotten the video rights to this film because we would have probably already gotten a nice 2 disc special edition by now. AJG  |  IP: Logged Claude S. Ayakawa Film God Posts: 2738 From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 09-10-2003 02:50 PM                        Evans, I also have a copy of that DTS sampler DVD you mentioned that features the "TITANIC" trailer and I agree with you that it is an awesome demo. I also have the movie itself on a full bitrate DTS laserdisc and the sound is just as good as the DVD sampler. Although the laser's picture quality is very good, it is not equal to the DVD. I agree, another DVD is warranted only because the original release lacked 16X9 anamorphic encoding. A special edition of "TITANIC" is coming and when it does, it will be something very special. I can hardly wait. -Claude  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 09-10-2003 06:41 PM                        I have the DTS LaserDisc as well. I haven't bought it on DVD because there is absolutely no reason to since I have the LD. While an anamorphic version would be good, I could do without the deleted scenes. Deleted scenes often slow the pace and make a good movie bad. Unless the deleted scenes are not in the actual cut, but offered as extras on a seperate disc. The only argument against is the LotR trilogy, where Peter Jackson had to cut out 12 days of footage from each movie to get it down to about 3 hours. LotR people say he cut out quite a bit, and adding it back helps them recreate the entire story. Personally I don't get much (if anything) out of extras. I don't listen to the commentaries (I wanna watch the movie, not listen to conversations... how much time do they think I have?). I don't give a rat's ass if a page-for-page version of the script is on there. I don't care about random shots of the cast taking a crap and a closeup of a peanut that scratched their anus upon exit. I really don't care what any actors have to say... they're actors! The extras were kind of cool back in the day when I'd rent LaserDiscs like Aliens, but now I really don't care. People like those who read Widescreen magazine seem to go into orgasmics over the extras, though. I wonder if those people even realize that the movie itself is hidden somewhere among those extras? Extras are getting ridiculous. While I'm at it, let's talk about DVD menus! Most of them are obviously designed by retarded people. I must apologize to retarded people, though, for associating them with DVD menu design, because retarded people probably could do BETTER. Take Truman Show for example. Do I really need to see a blimp fly past the menu screen before I am allowed to make my selection? NO! And after I click "play", which is all I wanted to do in the first place, I gotta watch the blimp turn around and fly towards the screen again! Why must I watch this EVERY TIME I watch the movie? It won't let me skip it. There is no option for a "non-annoying" menu. No, it is meant to be "cute". You see it and are supposed to go "How clever those DVD authors are!" every single time you see it. I could see how it might amuse a child. That's it!... DVDs are designed for kids. I'm sorry for the rant.... actually no I'm not.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Garman Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1470 From: Toledo, OH USA Registered: Mar 2003 posted 09-11-2003 03:39 AM                     Joe, menu design is a big pet peeve of mine too. Personally, I love the way Sony is doing the Superbit menus: static menus, and no cheesy animation. Also, let us select subtitles and audio on the fly. What is the point of not allowing me to do this!? Sometimes I just totally miss laserdisc. I'd love to get the DTS laserdisc, but it is a little pricey for a college kid and with a possible DVD re-release, I don't want to spend that much. As far as deleted scenes go, I'd rather have them as a separate feature as well. I loved the version I saw theatrically, and I want it to stay that way. AJG  |  IP: Logged Hillary Charles Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 748 From: York, PA, USA Registered: Feb 2001 posted 09-11-2003 07:30 AM                     Manny, Yes, "A Night To Remember" is the definitive movie treatment of the Titanic tragedy as it happened, and I really admire it. In fact, in college, I was part of a student film crew who interviewed Walter Lord (the author of the legendary source book of the same name), and I brought my copy of that book along to the interview for him to autograph. It remains a cherished posession. Cameron's film compares more to the 1950's 20th Century Fox version with Clifton Webb (albeit with many filmmaking advances). I'm very ambivalent about the movie because there WERE so many compelling and heart-wrenching stories which he could have concentrated on, yet much else is done SO DAMN WELL. In the interest of completeness, ANTR tried to give even coverage to every major story, and it's not as easy to get as involved with any particular characters as it is with Jack and Rose. Would a filmmaker in 80 years feel the need to add some hot fictitious romance to a film about 9-11? Well, probably. My point is that since there aleady IS the theatrical version DVD out there (I have one), it would be cool to have the more complete one as well. Perhaps the way the "Independence Day" DVD gives one the option of versions. That way, a new 16x9 transfer could be offered in addition to a re-edited version. I'd alo be okay with the extra scenes in a special section. ANYTHING! Cameron made the movie he wanted to, and who am I to argue with its success? When I found out about all the factual stuff that wasn't included due to length, I've been hoping for the SE DVD as well.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 09-12-2003 04:46 PM                     Okay Hillary -- and a big WOW! for getting the book autographed. Joe -- many times if I've already seen the movie in a theatre I will buy a DVD for the extras. The first thing I did with WEST SIDE STORY was watch the documentary. I haven't even looked at the movie on the other DVD yet. It's about 50-50 for me: sometimes I buy a movie because I never got around to seeing it in theatres and the rest of the time I know the movie quite well and now I want to know more about how it got made. As for the menus -- Why do they also try to force us to watch a preview before we even get to the menu? Disney does this all the time -- and usually with SEVERAL "attached" previews. A lot of people don't know that they can skip over these and so they sit there and watch them. Then again, I've seen some situations where you have no means to skip them; the "menu" button is disabled until the trailers have cleared. That's very annoying.  |  IP: Logged

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