MovieChat Forums > The Shadow (1994) Discussion > Best US domestic DVD release?

Best US domestic DVD release?

posted 17 years ago by fast_fierce_and_funny
14 replies | jump to latest

Hello,

Let me see if I have this right:

There have been two releases of The Shadow intended for US audiences:

One is the original November 1997 release. This was one of the first DVDs ever to come out. And while it wasn't a terrible DVD, it wasn't all that great, either.

The next release (2/99) featured DTS sound, but apart from the sound, the transfer was exactly the same.

Is this correct? I ask this because I'm looking to buy a copy and the 2/99 release just doesn't strike me as being worth paying extra for. Particularly as I'll be listening to it through crap (okay, Altec Lansing) computer speakers.

I know there's been talk of a definitive Director's Cut, but from what I can glean from the 'Board, it's only talk: no release date of any kind has been set yet.

Any advice you guys would be willing to share would be greatly appreciated.

you are here with me
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and you are everything

[–] shadow-otr 17 years ago

I say go with whichever release you can find at a reasonable price. With Sony's upcoming movie based on The Shadow [produced by Sam Raimi] - we're bound to see a new release [hopefully a quality collector's type release] of Universal's Shadow movie.

There's really no sense in spending too much on it - I wouldn't be surprised if the new Shadow movie hit's theaters in another year or so.

[–] clownzed 17 years ago

I just want a damn widescreen transfer. Is that too much to ask?

[–] The_Khazi 17 years ago

Get yourselt a multi-region player and buy the uk disc which is 1.85:1 although it does have a short scene in it which is framed 2.35:1!Confused so am I but that`s the only widescreen I can find.

I`ll second a nice collectors edition of this underrated film and an expanded cd release of Jerry Goldsmith`s excellent score(rather than multiple versions of Taylor Dayne)would be very much appreciated.

[–] clownzed 17 years ago

wait, was it filmed in 2.35:1 or 1.85:1?

[–] Ascovel 17 years ago

Only The Shadow knows.

[–] wtfer420 17 years ago

LOL great response
made me laugh

[–] Wheatdro 16 years ago

1.37, then put to 1.85

Metal will live. Yo-da-lin in the valley. Polyfuze method

[–] shadow-otr 16 years ago

But if that's accurate then the Region 1 DVD should show the full width of the picture seen in the Region 2 widescreen plus more at the top and bottom.

Check out the comparison on the DVD Beaver website between the Region 1 and Region 2 DVD releases:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare/shadow.htm

As you can see the Region 2 is a widescreen picture [shows more of the picture on the left and right], but has less image at it's top and bottom than the Region 1 release.

[–] Wheatdro 16 years ago

Good point

Metal will live. Yo-da-lin in the valley. Polyfuze method

[–] shadow-otr 16 years ago

Hopefully whenever Universal gets around to releasing a new DVD of the movie [preferably with a nice bundle of extras; behind the scenes, deleted scenes, etc.] they release the DVD in it's proper widescreen aspect ratio so we can watch the film the way it was meant to be seen.

[–] elgatony 16 years ago

I went to buy this dvd after seeing it on TV over the weekend and ...WTF...only Full-Screen?? What dinosaur still puts out only FS? At least make a disc where it's WS on side and FS on the other. So Universal loses a sale and I can only hope and pray that they release a DVD full of extras because the 10th Anniv came and went without a new version being released. Too bad cuz I'm a huge Shadow fan. To Universal: The weed of cheapness bears bitter sales.

Monsters...monsters from the ID!!!

[–] shadow-otr 16 years ago

This movie was one of the first released on DVD, and the second release happened sometime around 2000 or 2001.

Also you might be want to check out DVD Beaver's comparison between the R1 [full screen release] and the R2 ["widescreen"] - even though the R2 is "widescreen" it crops off part of the image at the top and bottom of the screen.

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare/shadow.htm

Hopefully as the new movie over at Sony/Columbia nears its release Universal will put out a quality widescreen release [in original aspect ratio, not the modified 1.85:1] with informative extras.

[–] Tsavo 15 years ago

But I have to post that is also adds to the sides, making an interesting tradeoff;

[–] Jasons_Argonaut 15 years ago

As you can see the Region 2 is a widescreen picture [shows more of the picture on the left and right], but has less image at it's top and bottom than the Region 1 release ... Thanks for the link, though one must note that in the Region 1 full frame version, the sides of the picture are still cropped and show less on the left and right sides than the widescreen does. In the region 2 widescreen version, the bottom and top have been cropped and show less that the full frame does. In either version, you are STILL missing something.