DVD
Is this ever going to come out on DVD? It seems MGM has been re-releasing some good comedies previously out of print on DVD ("Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure," "UHF"), so why not try to release "Slacker?"
shareI have recently heard that Slacker will be released on DVD in early 2003. I can't remember the date but it was around late January to Mid Feb.
I can't wait for it. (being from New Zealand has meant that seeing this movie has been damn near impossible)
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The DVD is available in the UK, but it's fullscreen (4:3). I assume the original movie is widescreen. Can anyone confirm this?
shareThanks for the tip! I'd almost given up hope of seeing a DVD version.
I never saw it in the cinema but I think the original must have been widescreen, as there's a shot of Richard Linklater holding a Panaflex cine camera on one of the menu screens. Also the Slacker book has a copy of a letter asking for an independent production fund grant for a '16mm experimental narrative'. Is 16mm always a widescreen format?
No commentary either. Shame, but still better than the VHS.
It was filmed in 16 mm, according to its cinematographer Lee Daniel in an interview (here http://eniac.bt.nu/ld.html), and the R2 DVD release seems pretty cheapo in other aspects too. The movie clearly deserves better.
The reason it hasn't been released on DVD earlier was apparently (second paragraph from the end at http://www.filmthreat.com/Features.asp?Id=290) that the rights were in the wrong hands.
I emailed Detour (http://www.detourfilm.com/) a couple of weeks ago asking if there might be a real DVD release (with commentaries, deleted scenes and maybe even the original cut) anytime soon, but I'm still waiting for a reply. If any of you guys give it a try, please post any response here!
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As a followup - there is a Criterion release out since Sep 2004. It's not cheap, but you get a very handsome package with LOADS of extra goodies, like three commentary tracks! It seems Linklater got to put in most everything he had expressed interest in including in the proper DVD release of this great movie.
Amazon incorrectly states "Number of discs: 1", but there is indeed a second disc, with no less than TWO earlier Linklater works. Read more here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DB4ZK/002-5792972-1049626?n=130&s=dvd