Most helpful customer reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars
Cult classic absolutely ruined by botched DVD transfer., April 19 2004
This review is from: Eating Raoul (DVD)
I have a dream. I have a dream that, one day, I will not have to sadly report that yet another DVD technican on crack has butchered a five-star movie. As much as I love Paul Bartel's "Eating Raoul", I have already returned my copy for a full refund, and here is why: Columbia/TriStar (a major film company who should know better) took a movie that was NOT shot in widescreen, and s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d the image without properly matting it. As a result, tall and leggy Mary Waranov looks about three feet tall (and just as wide) because of the horizontal compression. My fellow reviewer who timidly stated that there is a "slight" problem with the picture is being much too kind and forgiving. The movie is NOT WATCHABLE and this transfer is NOT ACCEPTABLE to anyone who has even an inkling about proper screen ratios. In case you think I'm the one on crack, I did an "A/B" comparison with my s-vhs full screen copy taped from cable, and it is far SUPERIOR to the DVD version! When are film studios going to get over this presumption that every film ever released has to be in "widescreen", even when it was not the director's oriignal intent (witness the DVD version of Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining"-it is available in "Full Screen" only, because THERE ARE SOME FILMS THAT MORE ACCURATELY RETAIN THIER ORIGINAL ASPECT IN FULL SCREEN PRESENTATION!!) This is also a shameful insult to the memory of the late great Paul Bartel, whom I am sure would not have allowed this, had he still been alive to supervise the DVD transfer. Buyer beware.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars
AVOID: Bad Transfer, April 19 2004
This review is from: Eating Raoul (DVD)
This long awaited DVD is an incredible disappointment. The major problem that makes this unwatchable is that somehow this movie has been stretched horizontally to fit a widescreen TV. The result makes everything look distorted. I don't know what the original aspect ratio was but this presentation is an abomination. I tried running it on my computer software to manually adjust the picture dimensions. The film does appear to be wider than the standard screen size but not the ratio as presented on this DVD. And to top it off the print appears to be something of the VHS quality (i.e. poor) with color and resolution deficiences. There appears to be a gash in the screen as if the video was shot from a movie screen with a tear in the top middle. The sound appears to have been mono that someone has doctored up by added fake stereo and reverb, then steering the dialog from side to side. Warning: Listening to this may cause sea sickness. Sony should be sued for selling this junk. I probably will be returning my copy. One thing for sure: if you are unable to manually adjust the aspect ratio with a computer, do not buy this. I will be anxiously waiting for this to be remastered - this is a good and funny film.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
4.0 out of 5 stars
Tasty!, Oct 14 2008
This review is from: Eating Raoul (DVD)
Paul and Mary Bland are a quiet couple who stumble upon a plan to get rich quick: They place a dominatrix ad in the paper to lure rich perverts to their apartment and then bop them on the head - hard - and steal their money. A petty crook named Raoul discovers their scam and wants in: He'll take the bodies, sell them to a dog food factory, and split the profit with them. Everything is going fine until Raoul decides he wants more than the bodies - he wants Mary. This famous cult classic was made in 1982 on a shoestring budget; the sound is tinny, the sets are cheap, and all the actors, while experienced, act like amateurs. Director/Writer/Star Paul Bartel satirizes murder and sexual perversion and does it all with straight faces and matter-of-fact dialogue; Paul and Mary express neither shock nor shame at their new business venture. As the plot snowballs from the first accidental killing to 20 in one night, it gets wacky fast. "Raoul" is not for everyone, but if you like over-the-top black comedy that goes way beyond the boundaries of good taste, you'll enjoy it.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
|