MovieChat Forums > Night People (1954) Discussion > Coming to Region 1 DVD 10/23/12 -- BUT.....

Coming to Region 1 DVD 10/23/12 -- BUT...


Night People is finally being released on Region 1 DVD on October 23, 2012, as part of the new Fox Cinema Archives line of made-to-order titles. Retail price is $19.95 and there are no extras. (Price and specific release date vary somewhat depending on the site.) However....

UPDATE, and it's BAD NEWS:

It's official: Fox released the film in a pan-and-scan version, not in its original 2.55:1 CinemaScope aspect ratio. This means you're not only losing over half the picture, but the quality of the screen image is very grainy because we're seeing the film close-up to get that idiotic "fullscreen" effect.

This has been a recurring and serious shortcoming of the FCA series. So far, most of the films issued on this label have been of standard aspect ratio (1.37:1), but of those widescreen films released, most have been in p&s, not their correct a.r.

Why Fox -- which pioneered modern widescreen films, and has always released its w/s films on standard DVD in their proper a.r. -- should suddenly switch to making many 'Scope films available only in lousy p&s prints is dumbfounding, especially since every other label that issues MODs has their widescreen films in widescreen.

This is pointless, inexcusable and a real slap in the face to customers.

So...who do we complain to?

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This film was one I've been waiting to get on DVD for a long time... and now it's going to be released in the wrong aspect ratio!

How is it possible to be so stupid, in this era of widescreen televisions and monitors, to still release WS movies in a full-frame pan-and-scan version?

Almost all the titles that are widescreen in this new Fox MOD program are being released in the incorrect format...just how did this decision get approved without someone raising the issue that reviews by cinephiles are going to tear them a new you-know-what for having the gall to do this?

Inconceivable!



Anything you say, Lloyd...anything you say!

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Fox also released the film on Region 2 DVD in Spain. That version is in the original CinemaScope aspect ratio with extras. The DVD is in English with Spanish sub-titles.

It WILL NOT play on standard US DVD players. You need a multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in the United States or Canada.

The full film in CinemaScope is also available on You Tube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUJc_r-zw7U

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Yes, I have that DVD (Decision a medianoche) and an R0 player. Very useful for cases like this. I also have a few other Spanish DVDs of American films never released in the States, or only available here in lousy p&s formats (thank you, Fox).

I've still never seen an explanation of Fox's decision to use p&s prints for its FCA releases. It's just as easy to transfer the correct aspect ratio to DVD as it is to do a p&s -- easier.

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