My 2 cents worth on “Brothers Grimm” (1 Viewer)

[Matt Hough]

Was released on video however.

If you'll scroll back to post #3 in this thread, I acknowledged that it got up to laserdisc before Warners stopped issuing it. How the West Was Won got the VHS-laser-DVD-Blu-ray journey complete with improvements in each iteration.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Oh, if only Mr. Strohmaier were allowed to work his magic!

 

[William Moore]

I wonder who was responsible for the Smilebox restoration of the Grimm Bros trailer? Was it the "one and only?" (David Strohmaier)

 

[Strohmaier]

Nope!

 

[William Moore]

Nope!

Mr. Strohmaier, do you have any plans to begin restoration work on "Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm?" You are our only hope!!

 

[williammoore]

The Japanese laser disc is the same as the TCM broadcast. The other laser disc is missing the picture for the prologue, missing picture info on the sides, overture and intermission music.

I wonder where one might obtain the Japanese LD version?

 

[Mark Tay]

I'm responsible for the smilebox trailer on youtube. I sourced it from the laserdisc, de-interlaced it, applied some color correction, and added the smilebox effect. I'm a fan of everything George Pal did and wanted to bring awareness to the lack of an HD release for this title.

 

[Dick]

I'm responsible for the smilebox trailer on youtube. I sourced it from the laserdisc, de-interlaced it, applied some color correction, and added the smilebox effect. I'm a fan of everything George Pal did and wanted to bring awareness to the lack of an HD release for this title.

Keep up the good work, and let us know how we can help.

 

[Matt Hough]

I'm responsible for the smilebox trailer on youtube. I sourced it from the laserdisc, de-interlaced it, applied some color correction, and added the smilebox effect. I'm a fan of everything George Pal did and wanted to bring awareness to the lack of an HD release for this title.

Well, it's a wonderful job and a noteworthy suggestion to the powers-that-be that they have something of value here.

 

[RolandL]

I wonder where one might obtain the Japanese LD version?

Probably on eBay - this one is the US version

 

[William Moore]

Probably on eBay - this one is the US version

I have looked but didn't find it. Let me know if you find one. thanks!

 

[Brian Kidd]

I have looked but didn't find it. Let me know if you find one. thanks!

Sadly, it doesn't turn up very often. There's one on LDDB.com for sale, but they want over $100 for it. I'd love to have a copy, but not for that kind of money.

 

[DP 70]

Thanks Brian, what a great site.

 

[William Moore]

OK, I found that Japanese LD of "Brothers Grimm" on the LD Database site, from a dealer known as "Flying Terrapin Laserdiscs." Only one used copy w/Japanese subtitles, supposedly not in the picture area. Asking price is $199.00 and bids are allowed and the lowest offer allowed is 1%, making the price $197.00 plus shipping (how generous!) It is advertised however to have the full prologue, overture, entr'acte, and I think a trailer. But that price is outrageous, if you ask me. Disc was made by Pioneer Japan so it's probably much better than the US release. Here's my question: How could one eliminate those subtitles? No menu, I'm guessing, where they could be turned off like on a DVD. If there is a way to get rid of those subtitles, I might consider it, maybe in my dreams.

 

[Brian Kidd]

OK, I found that Japanese LD of "Brothers Grimm" on the LD Database site, from a dealer known as "Flying Terrapin Laserdiscs." Only one used copy w/Japanese subtitles, supposedly not in the picture area. Asking price is $199.00 and bids are allowed and the lowest offer allowed is 1%, making the price $197.00 plus shipping (how generous!) It is advertised however to have the full prologue, overture, entr'acte, and I think a trailer. But that price is outrageous, if you ask me. Disc was made by Pioneer Japan so it's probably much better than the US release. Here's my question: How could one eliminate those subtitles? No menu, I'm guessing, where they could be turned off like on a DVD. If there is a way to get rid of those subtitles, I might consider it, maybe in my dreams.

Unfortunately, with Laserdisc being an analog video format, the subtitles are normally part of the image itself, rather than a separate file that is digitally superimposed. There isn't a way to get rid of them, save for digitizing the video and either cropping or masking.

 

[William Moore]

Unfortunately, with Laserdisc being an analog video format, the subtitles are normally part of the image itself, rather than a separate file that is digitally superimposed. There isn't a way to get rid of them, save for digitizing the video and either cropping or masking.

Well, the seller claims the subtitles are NOT "supered" over the picture which could be, since "Grimm" is letterboxed which would leave some picture area above and/or below for uses such as this, right?

 

[Brian Kidd]

Well, the seller claims the subtitles are NOT "supered" over the picture which could be, since "Grimm" is letterboxed which would leave some picture area above and/or below for uses such as this, right?

Because the aspect ratio is reeeeallly wide, there's a decent amount of space above and below the image where the subtitles can fit. The big problem with ultra-widescreen films on Laserdisc is that they are letterboxed into a 4:3 image, so detail is pretty lacking.

There are some Laserdiscs from Japan that used an anamorphic squeeze, much like DVD, to allow for a bit more image detail, but there were few of them released. Heck, there were even HD Laserdiscs using the MUSE system that was used for early HDTV in Japan, but getting a working player and discs is quite an expensive proposition.

 

[William Moore]

Well, I have asked the seller lots of questions regarding his copy of "Brothers Grimm" on Pioneer's Japanese LD, which is listed for sale on the Laserdisc Database website and he claims that the subtitles are NOT in the picture. Also, he says the video on the LD was sourced from a 70mm print (an interpositive?) and there are actually at least two 70mm logos on the gatefold packaging plus he says the audio is Dolby Surround. Too bad, since if came from a 70mm source, it would have had multi-channel sound which could have been encoded for Dolby AC-3. Anyway, I'm thinking of buying, or at least making an offer, for this LD set. I figure I could buy some black felt and mount it below the picture to cover the subtitles. Any comments?

 

[titch]

I figure I could buy some black felt and mount it below the picture to cover the subtitles. Any comments?

I admire your enthusiasm!

 

[Mark Tay]

Well, I have asked the seller lots of questions regarding his copy of "Brothers Grimm" on Pioneer's Japanese LD, which is listed for sale on the Laserdisc Database website and he claims that the subtitles are NOT in the picture. Also, he says the video on the LD was sourced from a 70mm print (an interpositive?) and there are actually at least two 70mm logos on the gatefold packaging plus he says the audio is Dolby Surround. Too bad, since if came from a 70mm source, it would have had multi-channel sound which could have been encoded for Dolby AC-3. Anyway, I'm thinking of buying, or at least making an offer, for this LD set. I figure I could buy some black felt and mount it below the picture to cover the subtitles. Any comments?

I use a scaler to hide Japanese subtitles when they are below the picture frame on a LaserDisc. The one I have is the DVDO iScan VP20, and the feature is referred to as "borders."