Wouldn't it be a great tribute to Peter Cook and Dudley Moore if their comic masterpiece were released for the world to enjoy (and to obliterate the memory of the AWFUL remake)? What legal idiots or short sighted studio executives are responsible for this oversight?
shareI bought a LaserDisc copy of Peter Cook & Dudley Moore's Bedazzled, thinking that format was going to be at least superior to VHS. That disc is now virtualy unviewable due to the increasingly huge amount of data deterioration (it's happening with all my LaserDiscs).
So it's especially annoying that no DVD is available of this movie, because it's production values were so high. Stanley Donen's Bedazzed is a near perfect film - with superb cinematography, editing and script, as well as featuring a cast of the best comic actors of the 20th century.
Since 20th Century Fox own both versions of Bedazzled it seems really crazy not have both released on DVD - especially, as zachcoco-1 has said, out of respect for the two late lead actors in their best film.
[deleted]
ebay has 4 VHS copies for sale right now.
I too have the laserdisc. It's also of mediocre quality and there was some degredation (in the form of granular noise). I therefore digitized it into my PC, cleaned up the video and audio, and made a one disc DVD out of it. No more disc-flipping, whee!!!!! I obviously won't sell or give it away (that's illegal!!!), but I'd be happy to tell anyone who's curious about how to do some decent restoration work to make their fave flicks re-viewable. It's not expensive to capture video into a PC these days, and with VirtualDub (free) and TmpgEnc (nominal cost) it's easy to filter and make a very good quality DVD-ready mpeg file. (Well, I had bought a Pinnacle DV500+ in 2002 that had cost me $900, mostly for the fact it came with Adobe Premiere, but it was well worth it. But with today's packages, the built-in editor is more than anyone needs, never mind the overkill Premiere!!)
I had four times the difficulty with the LD of the original "The Five Doctors" laserdisc but I managed to fix that one too, even got rid of the quite severe color bleed problem and removed most of the old-style PAL->NTSC conversion artifacting.
It's a labor of love and any videophile who recognizes that their favorite movies and shows may never be released in the newest and (theoretically) longest-archiveable media will have to do it themselves. :-( Until it gets released, which then it'll look better because, unlike us, they've got the actual master film to play with. :-D
I know what you mean. Laser rot almost killed the Laserdisc format. It was also a big problem with early CD releases as well.
I think the rights for the original "Bedazzled" went back to MGM, because they later put it out on VHS briefly. I think right now, though, the video arm of MGM is a mess--they just went back to Fox for either Blu-Ray and standard-def DVD or just Blu-Ray, so while they're re-issuing their previous Sony titles, maybe they could release this one as well.
"I've been kidnapped by K-Mart!"
--Barbara Stone (Bette Midler), "Ruthless People"
i agree entirely. the remake was painful to watch (not that i sat through it to the end) and it should be released on dvd immediately...in the meantime i must get the video.
shareWhy does everyone thing the remake was so bad? I for one loved the remake! Look at it like this, it is a completely different movie! The only thing about the movie that is the same is the selling of the soul concept. Harold Ramis is a comic genius and has not made a bad movie so quit bashing it please.
"O Captain, My Captain."
I would like to know where the dvd is too but in the meantime it is being shown on tv on the Fox Movie Channel. It is being shown in widescreen.
http://www.thefoxmoviechannel.com/movPrime.asp?ProgramId=2717984
I need it.
Seen on tv once in the 80s, I tried hard to get it, but until now without success. I am looking for the german version "Mephisto 68", but would take it in english as "Bedazzled" too, wether it's on VHS or DVD or what ever.
This impressing movie I could never forget. It's just great and so much fun.
It's such a shame, that this great original version is just like invisible, while the (not half as god) remake becomes so much attention.
May be it's in full conscious, that they hide the original, so that the remake get's more shine.
The DVD according to Play.com is due to be released on October 3rd of this year. Seems an awful long way off however I've already pre-ordered it
shareThe Rregion 2 is coming out on Oct. 3, but does anybody know when it will be available for Region 1?
shareFor those in the UK who can't wait till October 3rd for the DVD the film is on BBC 1 this coming Monday/Tuesday at around midnight
shareFor some reason the release date has been brought forward to 25th July and you can pre-order from both amazon.co.uk and play. Hoorah!
shareI've just received my Region 2 DVD. Grab yours now!
shareI got my DVD on the 22nd July Play.com are so good at get stuff to us before the actually release date :) Haven't had a chance to watch it though be too brainwashed by the criket
shareThe transfer contained on the DVD is absolutely marvellous, and watching the movie letterboxed is a revelation.
'I'm a by God constitutional anarchist'
Warren Oates.
I first saw Bedazzled film at the cinema one afternoon in 1968 when I was 16. It was so good I sat there for two more showings. (You could do that in those days). I eventually got home really late (from school!!) but I will never forget the impact it had on me. The quality of writing was so good, and unusual for 'comedy' films of that time. Whenever its been on TV in the UK it has suffered by having the camera focus on the middle of the frame so it's always appeared very grainy and unfocused. At last the new DVD has restored it to its true widescreen ration and it looks fantastic once again with the colour fully restored and great sound ... especially the Grimble Wedge and the Vegetations sequence. It's a great soundtrack anyway and I would recommend anyone to buy the stereo CD (Pity the DVD's in mono). Dud was a talented composer and the music adds so much to the atmosphere to this film.
shareThe DVD is now out. Totally brilliant! And now we can all pretent the remake simply never happened. A bunch of non-genius film makers should not mess with genius material - and let's face it Cook WAS a major genius!
Hmmm...
I shall have to think of something witty and amusing to put here.
It's out on Region 2 dvd (in the UK). No idea when/if Region 1 will be released, but when it is, I'll be here, eagerly awaiting it :) I would LOVE to have this movie on dvd!!! I've worn out 2 copies of it on vhs... I really need it on dvd, lol!
shareAgreed. I would purchase the DVD version as well in the US.
vhm_14u2c
"Look! Its Father Christmas!" - Psychomania(1971)
Hey Everyone,
It's so easy to watch this and other Region #2 (or any Region) DVDs in NTSC or PAL on a relatively in expensive DVD player called a CyberHome CV-300.
They have them at Best Buy and other major Electronics stores.
It's only $39.99! With the rebate they frequently have it's only $29.99!!!
AND IT WORKS!!!!
You'll need to "hack" it with the remote where you have no disc in the drawer, press close and then I believe it's menu, 1, 9
a number, the number 1 will appear. You then press 0 and enter and that's it!
It's terrific!
Here's a link for more info:
http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks.php?select=Cyberhome+CH-DVD+300
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!! Happy New Year!!!
Sincerely,
KG123
It cites a hack page for CyberHome model CH-DVD 300...which just HAPPENS to be what I have!!! I couldn't imagine what I'd find out just by viewing the message thread for the Bedazzled DVD!!
So if I ever see the Bedazzled DVD available I will......SEIZE IT!!