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[td]

Brando, I adore Brando.
Tops on my list are:
THE FRESHMAN
THE GODFATHER
THE NIGHTCOMERS
MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY
ON THE WATERFRONT
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

In the middle are:
THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU
GUYS AND DOLLS
LAST TANGO IN PARIS
DON JUAN DE MARCO
VIVA ZAPATA
THE YOUNG LIONS
THE FORMULA

Bottom-feeding are:
DESIREE
THE MISSOURI BREAKS
CANDY
A COUNTESS FROM HONG KONG
REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE (which, however, I still find a fascinating film)

[Jay]

Michael Caine is doing Bounty commercials now?

[td]

Shall we have a new page dance?

[MBarnum]

DR Jane, I am sorry to hear about your uncle  

[elmore3003]

I have a question for anyone here (even though it is not an Ask Question day):   I have just a regular 27” television and probably will have for the foreseeable future.  When I buy a DVD (in this case Harry Potter) should I buy the Widescreen version or the Full screen version, and why?

DRTCB, the Widescreen version!  Is there any other way?  it will look fine on your set, and you'll be seeing the film as it was meant to be seen.  I detest fullscreen!

I am my own frenzied raving.

[Jennifer]

DR Jane, sorry about your loss.

I will actually disagree with DR George on the Harry Potter issue.  I know I've said before that I'm not overly fond of widescreen.  But the widescreen Harry Potter dvd IMO would be quite difficult to watch on a smallish tv.

I saw this dvd a few weeks ago (and have a very big tv) and I remember remarking how small the picture was vs the black portions on the top and bottom.

I know most people here will still prefer the widescreen version.  But DR TCB, just keep in mind the ratios.  Also, only you know if you normally prefer widescreen.

[Jennifer]

Hmmm, I guess I just disagreed with DR Elmore too.

Actually, I think each person should buy whichever version they prefer.  

I recently got the widescreen of Spiderman2, cause that is what my brother-in-law prefers.  Also I believe my video store only carries the widescreen versions (although do most movies have both versions, or only the biggies?).

Btw, does anybody else's dvd have buttons to turn the widescreen into fullscreen?  Mine makes the people look funny!

[Stuart]

Feel free to question us when we don't make any sense.

Can the English-as-a-first language speakers do that too?  

Sorry to hear of your loss, DR Jane.  My thoughts are with you.

[Jrand73]

MBARNUM has another LONG weekend!

Hmmmmmmm.....I prefer the Widescreen versions of movies as well - and letterboxing size does vary from film to film depending on the original ratio, but I do think it's a personal preference.  Widescreen for me!

DRJENNIFEr I think when you Fullscreen a Widescreen movie the problem is you are stretching the image (well your DVD is) more one way than the other, so there is some distortion.

Vibes to DRJANE.

[Jrand73]

DRJANE - I have Betty's interview on tape - if you still have a VCR, I can make you a copy this weekend.  

[Stuart]

Michael Caine is doing Bounty commercials now?

Well, Nancy Walker is dead, so someone has to do them....

[Emily]

I officially HATE new winter boots!!!

My feet are both two giant blisters.  It's so bad I might not even be able to take them OFF

[Emily]

I'm moving to California... where the only boots you need are either militarily volunteer issue or a fashion statement

[Stuart]

Speaking of Miss Walker, we were watching the Cinderella kinescope telecast last night (it was on here last night, though I know in a great many markets it was on Sunday night)....

It got me to thinking that there seems to be this whole little sub-category of women who we think of primarily as comediennes who have great vocal chops (and somehow we have forgotten that fact):  Misses Ballard and Ghostley to name two.  Miss Walker.  Miss Martha Raye.  To some degree, Miss Burnett.  Am I missing others?  I am sure I am.  Why do you think we forget that they sang, too?  Why do we think they are "just" funny?  Because "comedy is hard?...."  Is it because there are no more variety shows for them to showcase those talents as well?  Or because we just expect them to be only funny?

[elmore3003]

Hmmm, I guess I just disagreed with DR Elmore too.

Btw, does anybody else's dvd have buttons to turn the widescreen into fullscreen?  Mine makes the people look funny!

You sure did!  

DRJennifer, any DVD player that tells you it can convert widescreen to fullscreen is lying:  it can only alter the shape of the image and so it stretches and distorts the picture.  

[Sandra]

Still working on this term paper. Four pages down, eleven to go. This is going to be a fun night.

I will have to tell you about my day on Saturday, when I'm awake.

[DERBRUCER]

Btw, does anybody else's dvd have buttons to turn the widescreen into fullscreen?  Mine makes the people look funny!

Sounds like a full-bodied version of a mammogram - ooch!)

Back in the good old days, a projectionist could always count on free-popcorn by forgetting to put the CinemaScope lens on the projector!

The good lord offered Liz Taylor as the prize for popularizing wide-screen - and he doesn't make mistakes!

[DERBRUCER]

..it stretches and distorts...  

Do they have such a botton on the machines that make Political Commercials?

[Tomovoz]

Can the English-as-a-first language speakers do that too?  

In America they haven't used it for years.

(Which is no doubt why AJL used hung and not hanged)

[elmore3003]

Speaking of Miss Walker, we were watching the Cinderella kinescope telecast last night (it was on here last night, though I know in a great many markets it was on Sunday night)....

It got me to thinking that there seems to be this whole little sub-category of women who we think of primarily as comediennes who have great vocal chops (and somehow we have forgotten that fact):  Misses Ballard and Ghostley to name two.  Miss Walker.  Miss Martha Raye.  To some degree, Miss Burnett.  Am I missing others?

Let's see:  I can think of Betty Hutton, Dorothy Loudon, and Fanny Brice, off the bat.  No matter what anyone thinks of her later singing, Ethel Merman was a fantastic singer in the 30s.  I need to think more about the other parts of your question, DRStuart.

[DERBRUCER]

My feet are both two giant blisters.  It's so bad I might not even be able to take them OFF

If I were you, I'd leave my feet on - just a suggestion.

der Brucer

[Jane]

We just received a Chanukah gift from Bryan, metallic colored Jordon Almonds in blue, yellow and silver.  Also included was the most beautiful Chanukah card I have ever seen.

In the box was my slightly late birthday card and gift.  He sent me a pink martini HANK ON LITTLE TOMATO CD.  Best of all was my beautiful birthday card with words to melt a mother’s heart.

[Matt H.]

I agree with DR Jay about THE GODFATHER Part II being one of the greatest films ever made, but Mr. Brando is not in it, of course.

I, too, forgot about JULIUS CAESAR. He does just fine as Marc Antony, but James Mason leaves everyone in the dust as Brutus, I think.

[Matt H.]

Another vote for widescreen, DR TCB. If you opt for the fullscreen version, you're losing 40% of the photographed image at any one time, and the director has things going on in all corners of the frame. Resist fullscreen!

[Jane]

DRJANE - I have Betty's interview on tape - if you still have a VCR, I can make you a copy this weekend.  

Yes, in our bedroom which we hope to return to some time soon.

[Matt H.]

BTW, a 27" TV is not a smallish screen. I used to watch widescreen films on a 19" screen, and I never found it undesirable.

[Jane]

Thank you  MBarnum, Jennifer, Stuart,  and JRand.  I will take these as double vibes.  What I didn’t mention on my birthday was the bittersweet call from a cousin.  She now has our family curse, as I have begun to call it, cancer.

[bk]

There will be no convincing dear reader Jennifer, just like there will be no convincing her that Academy ratio films should fill her screen when she gets a widescreen TV (you know, Academy ratio puts bars on the sides on a widescreen TV).  It's a mentality you either get over or not, and come to understand or not.  When you watch Harry Potter full screen (or any scope film full screen) you are missing forty percent of the image, not to mention you are bastardizing the director and cameraman's art and imagery.  Again, would you take the art of The Last Supper and only want to see the middle portion of it just because it would fill your TV screen?

[Jane]

Bruce-LOL but she does have a point about those small TV screens and TCB should decide for himself.  With that said, I vote for widescreen.

[Joey]

I suppose I shouldn't get worked up over that article unless Bush actually says something about banning it. Maybe if I had elected that guy I could be worked up...