Possible Something Wicked This Way Comes specs?
Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 4:55 pm
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.
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.