Now that a "legitimate" release of this film is out on DVD http://www.amazon.com/A-Summer-Story-James-Wilby/dp/B00KUCR25O/, can anyone who owns it shed light on its quality? I have an old VHS ex-Rental UK version that is (obviously) not brilliant quality - is this significantly better?
Mind you, I should just have ordered it yesterday when it was only $13.99!
No tears please, it's a waste of good suffering.share
I purchased the Scorpion DVD release of A Summer Story and found the picture to be too dark and murky (most evident in the night scenes).
For example, it is hard to make out Joe's facial features during two night scenes (he is hunting in one, digging a grave in another). In the Korean import DVD release (which I also own), you can see his face more clearly as that DVD has a brighter picture. Unfortunately, it is in 4:3 ratio even though the DVD box says it is 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen (the DVD just stretches the picture out when viewed on my Blu-ray player making everyone look "wide").
The one advantage the Scorpion release has over the import DVD is that it is 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, so the actors appear to be in the correct proportion on screen.
Thanks, Robotext.
Sounds like neither is ideal! On the other hand, both should be better than what I have: an ex-rental VHS (I never saw a retail one in the UK, and worked in a store that sold them at the time) which I've transferred to my computer. Which would you recommend?
No tears please, it's a waste of good suffering.share
To get the best replacement of your VHS copy, I would recommend the Korean import DVD as it has brighter, and thus to my eyes, better picture quality than the Scorpion DVD release. Since I assume your VHS copy is full screen, you will see the same visuals. Just remember to choose no subtitles (to remove the Korean subtitles) and make sure your TV aspect ratio is in 4:3 (to avoid the stretched "widescreen").
The only good thing about the Scorpion DVD version is the anamorphic widescreen that presents the complete "sides" to the images. I just think the whole picture in this release looks darker than previous copies I have seen and thus you lose some details when the picture takes place at night.
Thanks again.
Yes, the VHS was made way before they started releasing them in widescreen. It's a shame that Scorpion didn't do a better job of the transfer 😢. Thanks for taking the time to go through the details; I guess it will have to be the Korean release unless I hear that some UK firm is actually going to release the movie. Looking down the list of ITC's movie releases it seems that the legal problems that were holding up some releases have been cleared, so that shouldn't be a stumbing block, but unfortunately James Wilby and Imogen Stubbs don't seem likely to suddenly become the sort of people who encourage buyers to scamper through their back catalogue.
No tears please, it's a waste of good suffering.share
I agree that the version available via Amazon is okay but too dark in some places. Still, it's better than the old VHS tape I had of it that I copied off a movie channel many years ago!
This positively infantile preoccupation with bosoms!Terry-Thomas about US 1963.Hasnt changed much!