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Info: Halloween Criterion Special Edition LD

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As I’m in Australia, I cannot keep up with all the releases of this film overseas. I have tried to take a look at ‘DVD Compare’, but that site is currently offline. I was just wondering if the LD is worth preserving, because there’s currently an auction for this LD. The features are:

  • Commentary with writer/director/composer John Carpenter, writer/producer Debra Hill and actress Jamie Lee Curtis
  • The original theatrical trailer
  • Separate music and effects track (analog left)
  • Additional footage shot for the 1980 television release
  • Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert give splatter movies the thumbs down while praising Halloween in a controversial 1980 Sneak Previews segment
  • Photo essay on the making of Halloween
  • Photo Essay on splatter films
  • Illustrated filmographies of John Carpenter, Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis
  • The cover also contains the famous review by Tom Allen (Village Voice)
  • Genre guide by John McCarty, author of Splatter Movies: Breaking the Last Taboo of the Screen, including capsule reviews of cold-blooded killer movies from The Bad Seed to Halloween 5

It also contains footage from the television release; presented in full-frame. Now, I’m not sure if this auction has the booklet, but it does have the LDs and the cover - and in what looks like near-mint condition. Would it be worth purchasing this to preserve it or are the features already available on the DVD releases?

To contact me outside the forum, for trades and such my email address is my OT.com username @gmail.com

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It's a GREAT LD and in my collection, most of the stuff on it is on some of the MANY DVD versions of H1 but I'vce never looked into what all was on what to be honest, but it's a GREAT LD

“My skill are no longer as Mad as the once were” RiK

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I have the 'Divamax' DVD release which is listed as the '25th Anniversary' and it has the following...

Disc 1:

Widescreen Presentation
Audio Commentary with John Carpenter, Debra Hill and Jamie Lee Curtis

Disc 2:

Halloween - A Cut Above The Rest (An 87 minute documentary)
On Location - 25 Years Later (10 minute featurette)
Theatrical Trailer
TV Spots
Radio Spots
Poster And Stills Gallery
Talent Bios
DVD-ROM: Original Screenplay
DVD-ROM: Screen Savers

The OTHER DVD Release of Halloween (It's just listed as 'Limited Edition') has...

The Original film.
The Uncut TV Version (It's 12 minutes longer BUT it's in 4x3!)
Original Theatrical Trailers
Television Spots
Radio Spots
Talent Bios
Still and poster gallery
Halloween Unmasked 2000 Documentary

Hope this helps.

http://timeonmyside.blogspot.com/
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Originally posted by: DrVenkman
I have the 'Divamax' DVD release which is listed as the '25th Anniversary' and it has the following...




The Uncut TV Version (It's 12 minutes longer BUT it's in 4x3!)


Hi DrVenkman,

I'm not sure which release you have seen. But I have the Anchor Bay Extended Television Cut version, and it is definitely in anamorphic widescreen!!
And the best part is that not only does it contain the extra tv scenes, but also all the gore and everything from the theatrical release!!

-Jashun
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Not according to the Anchorbay site.

http://www.anchorbayentertainment.com/index.asp?p=CatalogDetail&SKU=DV10896&PriCatID=3

The original film is in 2.35:1 and the TV Extended cut is 1.33:1. It's even listed as a 'Full Frame Presentation' on the DVD.
http://timeonmyside.blogspot.com/
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DVD Halloween Extended Editon (Widescreen)

http://i10.ebayimg.com/03/i/05/44/d2/ba_1_b.JPG

Keep Case
Anamorphic Widescreen - 2.35:1
Audio:
Mono - English
Interactive Features:
Scene Access
Interactive Menus


THX-1138

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Well colour me stupid. I did not know that, although it is listed as 4x3.

I've never seen that other release though. I'm in R2 land see, so we never get the good stuff.
http://timeonmyside.blogspot.com/
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Was the TV cut possibly full frame on the original 2-disc limited Anchor Bay release, and then widescreen when it was released separately as the Extended Edition?

Looks like there are a couple nuggets from the laserdisc not on any of the DVD's (i.e. Siskel & Ebert). Maybe an extra features collection disc would be cool. And is the LD commentary w/Jamie Lee Curtis the same as the DVD one?
We don't have enough road to get up to 88.
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Originally posted by: booah
Was the TV cut possibly full frame on the original 2-disc limited Anchor Bay release, and then widescreen when it was released separately as the Extended Edition?

no, I have it, and both versions are anamorphic. And you can read the dvd File review too

And is the LD commentary w/Jamie Lee Curtis the same as the DVD one?


yes on the Anchor Bay disc, the 25th anniversary edition. it is the same.

You need to have both Anchor Bay DVDs to have a complete edition

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So why exactly is the film listed as 4x3 on the DVD and on the Anchorbay site, yet the review says it's Anamorphic. Even on the dvdfile page under 'Disc features' it lists one version as Widescreen and the other as 4x3.


EDIT: After looking at another review it turns out that the Theatrical version was both Anamorphic AND Full Frame. Why the hell would they do that? Bugger, I regret selling my old disc now, particulary seeing as it has the better transfer of all the versions.
http://timeonmyside.blogspot.com/
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the 1st disc has a widescreen 16x9 transfer and a 4x3 transfer, for the theatrical cut. The second disc has a 16X9 transfer for the tv cut
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I blame the confusion on Anchor Bay. They release a movie so many damn times even they don't know what versions are out there. LOL. Personally, I own the first barebones release that they did, the two disc set with the lenticular cover and the two disc anniversary set. I also have all of the tapes that they put out (along with every other video release of the film including the old release that accidentally included the tv cut...LOL). My favorite is the black box 2 VHS set that had the orange tapes inside. Can't remember if that documentary was included on one of the two disc sets or not. Now I'm confused, too. Shit.

What I am waiting for is the Halloween Returns To Haddonfield DVD that Anchor Bay is dragging their heels on. I was at that convention and it was amazing!

A long time ago in the faraway galaxy...

Star War: The Third Gathers
Backstroke Of The West

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?

Do tell. I don't think I've heard of that one.
http://timeonmyside.blogspot.com/
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That looks pretty cool. But then it is AnchorBay, they're probably planning on getting another 'Evil Dead' release out before this.
http://timeonmyside.blogspot.com/
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Actually, I am looking forward to that Evil Dead release, too. The "Cabin Edition" (or whatever they said they were calling it) is gonna have a feature on there about the Ladies Of Evil Dead and they filmed a lot of stuff at the Flashback Weekend convention that I went to this past summer since the entire cast and Tom Sullivan were there.

A long time ago in the faraway galaxy...

Star War: The Third Gathers
Backstroke Of The West

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Just in case you H'ween fans didn't hear yet, series Producer Moustapha Akkad was killed in the Jordanian bombings, along with his daughter.

He's best known for bankrolling Carpenter's original fim, and keeping the franchise alive since...it's really too bad...
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Arab film director Akkad dies after Jordan blast

Reuters DUBAI, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Hollywood Arab film director Moustapha Akkad has died in hospital from wounds sustained in the hotel bomb attacks in Jordan this week, Arab television stations said on Friday. The Syrian-born Akkad had been staying in one of three luxury hotels hit by suicide bombers in Amman on Wednesday, killing at least 56 people, Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya said.



We send our best wishes to his family, friends and fans.

“My skill are no longer as Mad as the once were” RiK