MovieChat Forums > A Different Story (1979) Discussion > THE NEW DVD

THE NEW DVD

posted 18 years ago by Dannybob
9 replies | jump to latest

The new DVD could have been a lot better. It's in full screen (like the VHS release) and that gets in the way of a lot of the comedy and wit I remember seeing when I first saw it in the theatre. The video quality isn't very good, almost exactly like the VHS release. Some of the interiors are poorly lit and the soundtrack is uneven. It's too bad more care wasn't taken in its DVD transfer, but it was a low budget film to begin with and the producers probably weren't thinking in terms of posterity. I think really top-notch elements probably don't exist.

There are some extras, including interviews with the writer, director, executive producer, and Perry King (who still looks handsome almost thirty years later). Theatrical and TV trailer. Still, better to have this film on professional DVD in mediocre quality than not at all.

[–] WarpedRecord 18 years ago

Thanks for the update. It's great to hear that Perry King does an interview as a bonus, but I simply *hate* when DVDs are released in full-screen format. I suspect the DVD was made by merely duplicating a VHS version if the picture and soundtrack are of uneven quality. It's also good to finally see the trailer, but is there no interview with Meg Foster?

Still, beggars can't be choosers, and I'm glad the DVD has some tempting bonuses to make the reissue worthwhile. Thanks again for the update, Dannybob!

[–] benatar-3 17 years ago

I agree, I wish there was a widescreen version released. My VHS copy actually looks better than the DVD. I also remember when I first saw this film on HBO, there was more to the movie. Has it been edited down to give it a PG rating, like they did with Saturday Night Fever? I'm sure there was more to it that never ended up on home video?

[–] jwalstrum 16 years ago

You're right about there being more to the movie. I saw the theatrical release several times and distinctly remember that more screen time was given to the Albert - Sills relationship in the first half of the film. On the DVD, Peter Donat (Sills) is hardly in the film. Albert offers Sills a "rub" on the patio and suddenly it switches to another scene where Sills has taken on another driver/companion. If my memory serves me, the massage took about five minutes and included some important dialouge. Besides, it's hard to forget Perry King wearing his very short cutoffs in a very extended scene.

[–] jardevas 16 years ago

And in the original film, at least as it was shown on HBO, I remember Meg Foster appearing topless in the sex scene with the birthday cake. Here, they fade to black while she is still clothed. Does anyone else remember that scene? I don't know why they would cut this movie down for PG-rating -- it's not as if kids are going to be the ones buying it.

[–] pepenet23 13 years ago

I have to confess I bought the DVD expecting to see precisely that scene. That was this year’s biggest disappointment. Meg topless, her gorgeous bright eyes with cake on her breasts is one of the best memories I have from the 70s.

[–] decamefo 12 years ago

I bought the DVD and swore there were scenes missing. Glad I saw this thread because I thought I was imagining parts that never happened. So is it just the DVD that is unedited or the VHS too? Too bad I didn't record it all those years ago.

[–] blakeman422 11 years ago

And in the original film, at least as it was shown on HBO, I remember Meg Foster appearing topless in the sex scene with the birthday cake. Here, they fade to black while she is still clothed. Does anyone else remember that scene? I don't know why they would cut this movie down for PG-rating -- it's not as if kids are going to be the ones buying it.

I too saw it on HBO. Oddly enough though I also recall the movie being rated PG when it aired (which is why I was able to see it in the afternoon) but the cake scene was shown in its entirety. Of course to be fair back then PG movies pre 1984 could have brief nudity and still not get an R.

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