Topic: 6/28 THE 3 STOOGES MEET HERCULES on DVD

[BeAStooge]

Sony/Columbia is releasing THE THREE STOOGES MEET HERCULES (1962) to DVD on June 28.  Widescreen, B&W, not colorized

[Julie Shaw]

It's about time some of their widescreen efforts were presented in that format!  I just ordered a copy of SNOW WHITE & THE 3 STOOGES on DVD for that very reason. (Perhaps the ONLY reason to order it)

[BeAStooge]

It's about time some of their widescreen efforts were presented in that format!

Unfortunately, Columbia has not released the original widescreen versions.  The DVDs are "phonied."

 - HERCULES (1962), ORBIT (1962), DAZE (1963) and OUTLAWS (1965) were originally filmed in 1.66 to 1.0.
 - Naturally, versions of the past 40 years were pan-&-scanned to 1.33 to 1.0 to accomodate television screen dimensions.
 - The 1995 Columbia VHS versions were taken from a pan-&-scan master print.

So, when Columbia released DVDs for ORBIT, DAZE and OUTLAWS... did they go to the vault and restore a 1.66 to 1.0 print?  No!  They took the 1.33 to 1.0 video/TV master, and further cropped it by slicing off the top and bottom of the film to artifically give it the appearance of a 1.85 to 1.0 Panavision film.

Unless the 6/28 DVD of HERCULES proves otherwise, I presume that it also will be a phony widescreen.

STOP, LOOK & LAUGH, originally in 1.33 to 1.0 due to the short subjects' stock footage, was also "phonied" into a widescreen version.

[xraffle]

Yeah, it was obvious that Columbia 'phonied' the DVDs. I originally recorded "The Three Stooges Go Around The World In A Daze" on the Family Channel when it was shown. Then, I bought the DVD when it came out and compared my VHS copy to the DVD. I can't tell you how disappointed I was to find out that all Columbia did was crop the top and bottom of the film. So, you are losing more of the picture by buying the widescreen version. If Columbia was so lazy to restore the original 1.66:1 prints, then they should just release it in full screen instead of ripping us off like this.

[xraffle]

Here is the cover art for the DVD.

[Hammond Eggar]

Columbia has turned out to be a great disappointment.  I find it troubling the way the studio treats the Stooges films and shorts, and the way they treat the fans.  They could do so much better with these releases in regards to packaging and running order.  The news about the phonied widescreen films doesn't surprise me at all.  Columbia has a history of doing the bare minimum.  Look at the Stooges DVDs, then look at any complete season set of any TV show released by the studio.  They never include any bonus features.  Full-season sets for such shows as ALL IN THE FAMILY, THE JEFFERSONS, SOAP, MAD ABOUT YOU, CHARLIE'S ANGELS and others have suffered because of this.  It's always the bare minimum with Columbia.  It is really getting on my nerves.  They really should know better.

COLUMBIA EXECS: "I try to think, but nothin' happens!"

[falsealarms]

This is, by far, the best DeRita picture. It's one of my favorite films the Stooges ever did, be it a short or a feature length one. Three Little Beers, though, will never be topped.

[Curley91]

Well, i am happy to hear about this. I just hope they will release "Have Rocket, Will Travel" to dvd, and soon.