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80 of 80 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ending (Maybe) the Endless Aspect-Ratio Debate, October 21, 2007
There's a fair amount of misinformation about aspect-ratio (screen-shape) in these customer reviews. I oversaw numerous film restorations for a major American film studio for more than a decade, so I know this subject matter rather well.
Here are some facts concerning the aspect-ratios of Kubrick's films from "2001" on. Of these films, only "2001" was filmed in "widescereen," if we are using that term to refer to the processes known as Cinemascope, Panavision and Cinerama, which have a screen aspect-ratio (height-to-width ratio) of 1 unit of height to 2.35 units of width (i.e., the image is more than twice as wide as it is high). This "widescreen" aspect-ratio can only be displayed in its entirety on any TV screen by placing matte bars at the top and bottom of the image.
Every subsequent Kubrick film, from "Clockwork Orange" to "Eyes Wide Shut," was filmed "flat" (a term meaning the image was not anamorphically squeezed in the original 35mm photography and is not "widescreen"). Kubrick's films after "2001" were photographed filling the 1-to-1.33 35mm film frame from side-to-side and top-to-bottom, with no mattes. This 1-to-1.33 frame matches the old TV screen perfectly; but it has not been used for theatrical presentation since the 1950s.
For their theatrical presentations, Kubrick had these "flat" films matted top and bottom, changing their aspect-ratios from 1-to-1.33 to either 1-to-1.66 or 1-to-1.85 (making the image a bit more than 1&1/2 times wide as it is high). For Kubrick to retain control of the size of the matte, the matte was most likely printed into the theatrical printing negative at the lab, and thus printed into every release print (as opposed to letting the projectionist slip a matted aperture into the projector gate, which can lead to mistakes).
For home video, however, Kubrick's films post-"2001" have until now been released using the entire original 1-to-1.33 film frame (preserved on the original negative), dispensing with the theatrical matte and including the tops and bottoms of the 1.33 image, which were not visible in theaters and were not intended to be. The unmatted image thus filled the old 1.33 TV screen without having to cut off the sides to make it fit.
Some opinions: I think it's fair to assume that the matted theatrical aspect-ratio is the one for which Kubrick framed his shots; I find it impossible to believe that he thought of the later VHS/DVD release as his main priority in terms of composition. It makes a difference: for example, close-ups are closer, tighter, in the matted theatrical versions than in the unmatted home video versions because of the additional space at the top and bottom of the unmatted frame.
Based on this, the new 16x9 DVD releases, by recreating a close approximation of the shape of the matted theatrical image, provide a much more accurate representation of Kubrick's intentions for these films than any previous home video release. It is true that 16x9 is not precisely identical to either the 1-to-1.66 or 1-to-1.85 theatrical aspect-ratios Kubrick used after "2001," but 16x9 is much closer to his theatrical aspect-ratios than was the old 1-to-1.33 TV ratio, and it serves his compositions far better.
As for why Kubrick instructed Warner Bros. to release his post-"2001" films for TV and home video using the entire unmatted 1.33 image, I'm sure he did not foresee 16x9 televisions and was simply trying to solve the problem of the 1:1.33 TV screen. In order to be able to fill the 1.33 TV screen from top to bottom without losing any image on the sides, he made sure the entire unmatted 1.33 film frame could be used by "protecting" the tops and bottoms of the frame -- no booms, lights or set-tops visible. Thus, in the old 1.33 TV transfers, there was more image at the tops and bottoms of shots than was visible in theaters, even though the added space misrepresented Kubrick's compositional intent.
Now, in these new 16x9 transfers, Kubrick's original, wider, theatrical compositions have finally been recreated for TV. In 16x9, close-ups are the right size, empty headroom is eliminated, and we see the images the way Kubrick designed them. As indicated above, it makes a difference!
I hope some of this was useful, and "Thank you!" to those in Kubrick's circle who authorized the release of these films in 16x9.
NOTE TO WARNER BROTHERS HOME VIDEO: I sure hope a 16x9 High Def DVD release of "Barry Lyndon," an indispensable expression of Kubrick's humanistic and cinematic ideas, is imminent!
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131 of 142 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Yet another new and improved Kubrick collection, August 5, 2007
This is the first of Warner Home Video's new Director Series DVD sets. Included are brand new versions of:
2001: A Space Odyssey - Special Edition (2-disc)
A Clockwork Orange: Special Edition (2-disc)
Eyes Wide Shut: Special Edition (2-disc)
Full Metal Jacket: Deluxe Edition
The Shining: Special Edition (2-disc)
All titles have been restored and remastered and will offer both archive and new bonus features. The documentary "Stanley Kubrick: A Life In Pictures" will also be included in this set. Apparently missing from this set, but also being released in new versions individually on October 23, are Lolita and Barry Lyndon. Eyes Wide Shut will include both the rated and unrated versions. No new release of Dr. Strangelove is planned, nor will it be included in this set either. All titles contained in the boxed set with the exception of "Full Metal Jacket" will be available separately, including the documentary.
All of the included films will have commentary, although "Eyes Wide Shut" will have only scene-specific commentary. The following are the extras included for each film:
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - A film full of technical details about space travel before we'd even been to the moon coupled with much to think about in the realm of what it means to be human. Disc 2 will have the following extra features:
Channel 4 documentary: 2001: The Making of a Myth
Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001
Vision of a Future Passed: The Prophecy of 2001
2001: A Space Odyssey - A Look Behind the Future
2001: FX and Early Conceptual Artwork
Look: Stanley Kubrick!
Audio-only interview with Stanley Kubrick
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
A Clockwork Orange (1971) - Difficult to sit through, Malcolm McDowell gets the role of a lifetime as a sociopathic youth in futuristic society who agrees to go through "aversion therapy" in order to be cured. His character is simultaneously repulsive, interesting, and sympathetic. It's hard to believe what you're watching, it's harder to believe what you're thinking about what you're watching. Disc two will have the following features:
Channel 4 documentary: Still Tickin': The Return of Clockwork Orange
New featurette: Making A Clockwork Orange
Career profile: O Lucky Malcolm!
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
The Shining (1980) - A psychological thriller has a family acting as caretakers for an old hotel that is totally isolated in the winter. Jack Nicholson's character is fighting his own demons before cabin fever ever sets in and the hotel begins to "speak" to him. Is he really possessed or is the hotel just bringing out what was really in him all along? Disc two includes the following features:
Documentary: "The Making of the Shining"
Three new featurettes: "View from The Overlook: Crafting the Shining",
"The Visions of Stanley Kubrick", and "Wendy Carlos, Composer"
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Full Metal Jacket (1987) - The film seems to be in two distinct parts, but actually one half is just a reflection of the other under different circumstances. The film is all about how humans handle duress - during wartime where life and death is at stake, and during training where extreme beratement and social isolation can cause people to snap too, even though they are physically "safe". This DVD will not be available separately. The extra features included are a new featurette and a theatrical trailer.
Eyes Wide Shut (1999) - Disc two will have the following features:
Documentary: The Last Movie: Stanley Kubrick and Eyes Wide Shut
Lost Kubrick: The Unfinished Films of Stanley Kubrick
Kubrick's 1998 D.W Griffith Award acceptance speech
Interview gallery with Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, and Steven Spielberg
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
All of the information I show on the extra features came from a press release from Warner Home Video, and they do look fabulous. The one thing I dislike is the fact that Dr. Strangelove, Kubrick's finest film IMHO, gets the boot in this set.
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33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent presentation with great extras for Kubrick classics but a few hiccups accompany this set..., October 24, 2007
There evidently is an issue with availability of this set. Warner Home Video switched to a new fulfillment software which caused some distribution problems for this set.
FYI, while the box states that both versions of"Eyes Wide Shut" are included, they aren't. So we have the international version as the only one on the disc. If you're looking for the rated edition, you'll have to pick up the previous edition of the film on DVD. Evidently Warner elected not to include both back in Sept. but the boxes weren't reprinted to indicate this. I'm sure many fans will not miss it since it is "censored" but there will be some folks that will want it no matter what.
"Eyes" is also missing Sydney Pollack's commentary track that was originally to be on the set. As to why "Barrie Lyndon" and "Lolita" are missing at (10/23/07)this time rumor has it that they require some additional digital tweaking/restoration and Warner wanted to get the set out before Christmas.
All the films look spectacular with a little more information on the sides for many (but not all) of the films. All are presented in anamorphic widescreen so those with widescreen sets will not have to adjust their sets as they did with the full screen presentation of "The Shining" and "Full Metal Jacket" (the films were shot in a full screen format because Kubrick recognized that when they would be shown on TV and home video they would be in a pan and scan format. He didn't want that. These aspect ratios represent how they were supposed to be shown in theaters).
What you do get is pretty spectacular though and fans that didn't buy the previous sets will be happy with this version of the box set.
We get two disc special editions for every film here except "Full Metal Jacket" with numerous extras. Warner has licensed a number of documentaries produced about these films from the UK's Channel Four. Also, each film has a commentary track (except "Eyes Wide Shut" which for some reason is missing Sydney Pollack's commentary track that was advertised as being part of the set when it was announced).
The second disc for each film has a number of new featurettes produced for these editions. "2001: A Space Odyssey" has featurettes comparing the original production art to some of the final sequences, as well as featurettes looking at how Kubrick and company envisioned the future. We also get a discussion on the visual effects. There's also a vintage documentary on Kubrick called "Look: Stanley Kubrick" as well as an audio only interview from 1966 as Kubrick was gearing up to make the film. I only listened to the audio commentary track intermittantly but could have sworn I heard Douglas Trumbull on there in addition to Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood.
"A Clockwork Orange" has an excellent and informative commentary track with star Malcolm McDowell and film historian Nick Redman. We also get the Channel Four documentary that Warner has licensed. Additionally there is a new featurette on the film "Great Olshy Yarblockos!Making A Clockwork Orange" and a profile of actor McDowell by long time Kubrick collaborator Jan Harlan.
"The Shining" ports over Vivian Kubrick's documentary (on the second disc)from the previous edition. We also get a commentary track by Steadicam Inventor Garrett Brown and film historian John Baxter. Three new featurettes focus on the making of the film, design and the score by composer Wendy Carlos.
"Full Metal Jacket" has a commentary by stars Adam Baldwin, Vincent D'Onofrio, R. Lee Emery and film critic Jay Cocks. The new featurette "Full Metal Jack" Between Good and Evil" includes vintage behind-the-scenes production footage and new interviews.
As mentioned "Eyes Wide Shut" does NOT have Sydney Pollack's commentary track. No mention if Warner is going to send out replacement discs for this one or not. We also get a 3-part Channel 4 documentary on the making of the film. A new featurette "Lost Kubrick: The Unfinished Films of Stanley Kubrick" which focuses on projects he never got to complete. An interview gallery with Tom Cruise, Nichole Kidman and Steven Spielberg discussing the making of the film. Kubrick's 1998 Director's Guild of America Award acceptance speech as well as theatrical and TV spots for the film.
Finally we get "Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures" the documentary by Jan Harlan about Kubrick that was included in the previous set from Warner of Kubrick's films. As near as I can tell this hasn't been altered from the previous version.
While this is an excellent set, it's a pity that Warner goofed up in not including both versions of "Eyes Wide Shut" and Pollack's commentary track.
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