I visited the Something Wicked This Way Comes DVD section of the Disney website very recently to find no technical information. I just checked a minute ago to find that it has been updated. According to the page, the specs are apparently similar to Anchor Bay's. It's listed as containing both full frame (1.33:1) and widescreen (1.85:1) transfers of the film. There is no info as to whether or not the widescreen will be anamorphically enhanced. And if the two versions of the film are put on the same disc as with Anchor Bay's, we can say good-bye to a decent bitrate (I don't see them making it a 2-disc set - a shame since Disney really corrected this problem with Return to Oz a few months back by sporting a new enhanced transfer that was given room to breathe). But wait! SWTWC's aspect ratio is 1.66:1, not 1.85:1. I really really really really really hope this is a mistake. The only bonus feature that the page boasts is the theatrical trailer, as AB's did (I wonder if they'll just use the same one they used for AB's...you know, with that last title shot masking off the Disney/Buena Vista names) which is a shame, since much great extra material for this film is certainly available (1 - the excellent commentary on the collector's laserdisc...I guess it's to be expected since Bradbury and company explain how Disney messed up their movie, 2 - The famous deleted special effects scenes, 3) The TV Making-of documentary). English, Spanish, and French tracks are apparently what we're getting in the language department (not on AB's), and the page also claims a 5.1 surround sound track which is different from AB's odd 4.0 track (though it was directly created from the film's actual 4 tracks...weird).
Well, if this page is actually at all correct (I'll let Luke clarify or correct when he gets the specs in) I must say I'm disappointed, but that's to be expected given my unrealistically high expectations. It's just sad to see so many possible extra features ignored, and I don't want the film's transfer quality to be cut in half because it has to share space with the stupid pan-and-scanned version. And don't even get me started on the possibility of an OAR messup: this movie was filmed in and intended to be presented in 1.66:1. If it turns out Disney did this just to make a possible anamorphic transfer more convenient for HDTV viewers, I will be understandibly upset. But, it's too early to start accusing Disney of anything yet.
Sigh, we'll see.
Possible Something Wicked This Way Comes specs?
I wouldn't put TOO much stock into an aspect ratio like that. Disney's page and packaging for Candleshoe said it would be 1.85:1, but in fact it was 1.66:1 anamorphic widescreen.
But you're right, we will see.
But you're right, we will see.
"Fifteen years from now, when people are talking about 3-D, they will talk about the business before 'Monsters vs. Aliens' and the business after 'Monsters vs. Aliens.' It's the line in the sand." - Greg Foster, IMAX chairman and president
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MickeyMouseboy
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If any studio isn't afraid of windowboxed transfer, it's Disney. They've done it again and again for both animation and live action films.Udvarnoky wrote:Well, it looks like my worst fears have been confirmed. Disney has changed the aspect ratio (afraid of "window-boxed" anamorphic transfer?) and has included a full screen transfer of the film as a wonderful way to eat up bitrate.
Darn.
I just did a comparison on The Cat From Outer Space, where the AB DVD was 1.66:1 and Disney's was 1.78:1. One had to look quite carefully to notice differences, and the Disney version did show more width. Something Wicked's aspect ratio on the Disney DVD is about 1.81:1, so it's not a drastic difference. And the anamorphic transfer has to be better than what Anchor Bay offered.
Yes, so do we:MickeyMouseboy wrote:Dvdfile.com has a review for it. It only has the 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer and trailer
http://www.ultimatedisney.com/something.html
You're right, they've certainly done it before. I wonder what the situation with SWTWC was?Luke wrote:
If any studio isn't afraid of windowboxed transfer, it's Disney. They've done it again and again for both animation and live action films.
I may take a look at the disc for myself to compare. Anchor Bay seemed to have a very good print.Luke wrote:the anamorphic transfer has to be better than what Anchor Bay offered.