DVDizzy Forum

I tried to find a list already started on here and couldn't, so I thought I'd reach out and see if anyone out there can help me compile a list of Disney films (I think I'm including Touchstone in that list) that received a fullscreen region 1 transfer, but are available in region 2 in widescreen. I'm only just starting to collect outside region 1 titles, but am pretty sure I'll just collect the "upgrade" discs. I'm thinking that these following movies are widescreen in region 2, but can anyone verify these? I just bought Journey of Natty Gann from amazon.uk.com because amazon had it listed at 2.35:1, but sometimes they don't list the aspect ratio at all (plus I'm kind of want to make sure that the PAL DVD is actually widescreen). Also, a reviewer on that site said that Moon-Spinners was available in widescreen in PAL too! If that's true, I totally know the next title I'm getting

Possibile ones?
The Journey of Natty Gann
Baby...Secret of the Lost Legend
Shipwrecked
Blackbeard's Ghost
The Moon-Spinners
White Fang
Off Beat
Homeward Bound


are there any more to be on the lookout for? what PAL dvds are recommended upgrades from region 1?

I guess this is probably going to end up in the international forum, but in a way it is talking about R1 DVDs too.

A quick word of warning (although I may be wrong - I'm sure somebody like Ichabod will correct me if I'm wrong) but not all of the PAL widescreen discs are anamorphically enchanced.

That said, talking of anaporphic enhancement, stuff like Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Jungle 2 Jungle are enhanced here, but I belive 4:3 widescreen in R1.

This page is a good starting point, but is doesn't mention anamorphic enchancements if the R1 is 4:3 widescreen:
http://www.ultimatedisney.com/panandscan.html

2099net wrote:A quick word of warning (although I may be wrong - I'm sure somebody like Ichabod will correct me if I'm wrong) but not all of the PAL widescreen discs are anamorphically enchanced.

Hercules is one that springs to the front of my mind straight away.

The Aussie DVD release of "That Darn Cat!" starring Hayley Mills is presented in anamorphic widescreen; the R1 release is fullscreen.

Sometimes it pays off to wait until a local release.

Anamorphic widescreen in the UK:
That darn cat
The Moonspinners
The incredible journey (1960's version, not available in R1 at all)
Big Red (out of print in R1)

Kidnapped and Follow me boys have "open matte" full-screen presentations in the UK. The R1 discs are pan & scan.

Pokémon movies 4-7

It's not off-topic, those were released by Miramax. I'm just a huge Pokémon fan. Pokémon 4ever was widescreen in Europe, but not here. Pokémon Heroes (the fifth one) was only widescreen in Sweden IIRC, as the German and British DVDs were anamorphic but pillarboxed (why would they even do that?!!)

Jirachi Wishmaker (the sixth one) was widescreen everywhere else, and Destiny Deoxys (the seventh one) was only released in the Netherlands (and I paid to import that one since it's one of my favorites and I wanted OAR)

Has there every been a Widescreen release of Hocus Pocus? I've never seen one, which is really disturbing.

xxhplinkxx wrote:Has there every been a Widescreen release of Hocus Pocus? I've never seen one, which is really disturbing.

The R1 DVD is widescreen. The bad thing is it's non-anamorphic.

Albert

Escapay wrote:

xxhplinkxx wrote:Has there every been a Widescreen release of Hocus Pocus? I've never seen one, which is really disturbing.

The R1 DVD is widescreen. The bad thing is it's non-anamorphic.

Albert

Wow, whenever I've seen this movie in stores, it's always full screen. Argh.

Apparently the Homeward Bound PAL DVD release is also fullscreen But a ton of the 1990s Disney live action comedies are widescreen overseas (i.e. Tom and Huck, Man of the House, Operation Dumob Drop, etc.).

And honestly...even counting the conversion for euro...they aren't really that expensive (including royal mail shipping). They are like only 4 or 5 euro...plus maybe 3 euro for shipping! That's an awesome widescreen Disney film for under $15 American! Shipping included!!!

Albert...I think The Rocketter is only 3 or 4 euro too!! Is it really much better than the R1?

p.s. Does anyone know how to do screen captures....I'd love to do comparisons as I get some new copies in.

plinky wrote: Wow, whenever I've seen this movie in stores, it's always full screen. Argh.

Yeah, it's a packaging error. The back cover incorrectly states it's fullscreen, but rest assured, it's widescreen.

That Disney Fella! wrote:Albert...I think The Rocketter is only 3 or 4 euro too!! Is it really much better than the R1?

From what I've read online (as well as what Jules told me), it's only better in the fact that it's anamorphic, though I don't know how much better the actual transfer is compared to the R1 version (which really sucks, like it sucks more than a prostitute on a Saturday night).

I'd love to get a copy, but I still don't have a multi-region player (though I did hack one of our DVD players, but never got around to getting an R2 disc to test it on).

Albert

Escapay wrote:(which really sucks, like it sucks more than a prostitute on a Saturday night).

Albert

Sorry Albert, I'm afraid that award goes to Blackbeard's Ghost region 1 release.

p.s. Does anyone know how to do screen captures....I'd love to do comparisons as I get some new copies in.

If you use VLC Media Player to play your DVDs, it has a snapshot feature. (It saves png images called vlcsnap****.png in My Pictures)

Though if it plays with a ton of motion blur, you'd want to right click, and select "Blend" under deinterlace. (Though, most Disney DVDs are 24fps progressive and not interlaced... not sure about live-action movies however)

If you need help converting the PAL DVDs to NTSC, let me know... I always hate seeing transfers like Song of the South that are just CONVERTED but not SLOWED DOWN... since it's basically irreversible that way and totally ruins the video.

drfsupercenter wrote:Though if it plays with a ton of motion blur, you'd want to right click, and select "Blend" under deinterlace. (Though, most Disney DVDs are 24fps progressive and not interlaced... not sure about live-action movies however)

I *think* they're 24p also, or at least I don't remember having to use Filmdint on Parent Trap 61 or Freaky Friday 77.

If you need help converting the PAL DVDs to NTSC, let me know... I always hate seeing transfers like Song of the South that are just CONVERTED but not SLOWED DOWN... since it's basically irreversible that way and totally ruins the video.

THIS

Escapay wrote:

plinky wrote: Wow, whenever I've seen this movie in stores, it's always full screen. Argh.

Yeah, it's a packaging error. The back cover incorrectly states it's fullscreen, but rest assured, it's widescreen.

Albert

And this is why I love you!

drfsupercenter wrote:

p.s. Does anyone know how to do screen captures....I'd love to do comparisons as I get some new copies in.

If you use VLC Media Player to play your DVDs, it has a snapshot feature. (It saves png images called vlcsnap****.png in My Pictures)

Though if it plays with a ton of motion blur, you'd want to right click, and select "Blend" under deinterlace. (Though, most Disney DVDs are 24fps progressive and not interlaced... not sure about live-action movies however)

If you need help converting the PAL DVDs to NTSC, let me know... I always hate seeing transfers like Song of the South that are just CONVERTED but not SLOWED DOWN... since it's basically irreversible that way and totally ruins the video.

Are png images postable? Or do you have to convert them to jpeg, or bmp?

I might ask for help later on with trasnferring them. I've got a program I think might do the trick, but if not I've got another buddy who usually can transfer my R2 stuff. I'm just starting my R2 purchases, so after this first test one with Natty Gann goes and I get all of the kinks worked out.....then I should be able to get a bunch of them (if they stay this cheap).

Yes, PNG images are postable. If you use the "[img]" tag, you can easily post them as images.

Just tell whoever converts your stuff that it needs to be slowed down by 4% first in order to avoid improper telecining... I've seen so many bootlegs that didn't do this and it really annoys me.

Both "3 Men and a Baby" and its sequel "3 Men and a Little Lady" are availible in R2 in 16:9 enhanced widescreen versions. It's somewhat surprising that the first movie, being the highest grossing US theatrical movie in 1987 and the first Disney movie to gross more than $100 million in its initial run, have not been given Special Edition treatment such as "Tin Men", "Good Morning Vietnam" and "Dead Poets Society".

Did Tin Men get a special edition treatment? I know that it did in region 2....but I don't think that the R1 release has the commentary and stuff......

Also, to add to the list of better editions overseas.....Off Beat is available in widescreen on PAL DVD, while it has never even seen a release here in the States on DVD at all!!!!

I second that notion. I wonder why 3 Men and a Little Baby, Adventures in Babysitting, and Color of Money (plus a few more Touchstone releases) haven't received more high profile DVD editions yet.......I'm sure Disney will try to release them just in time to finish the DVD format before they get rereleased in BluRay

That Disney Fella wrote:Did Tin Men get a special edition treatment? I know that it did in region 2....but I don't think that the R1 release has the commentary and stuff......

According to a review at DVDtalk, the commentary, deleted scene, and trailer is included. The only thing not included (that's on the R2/R4 versions) is a bonus documentary called "Little Castles" (28:50), which is about formstone (and isn't really relevant to the movie so I don't really know why it's included).

That Disney Fella wrote:Adventures in Babysitting <snip> haven't received more high profile DVD editions yet.......

Perhaps the only good thing about the remake (Further Adventures in Babysitting) is that the original could possibly get a modest Special Edition DVD.

Albert