It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)

[Kino-Chan fan]

Originally Posted by whitesheik

Oh, Lord. You're hearing the OVERTURE. It's played over a black screen. After the overture the film begins and you will see it. You must be very young. I was so happy when they finally began playing the overture over black instead of some ugly title card - but now you know why they used to do that. Perhaps they should put something on the back of the box for people who don't understand what the roadshow experience was like?

Thanks for clearing that up. Yeah, I am a 28 year old man-child. A kid from the 80's, but still in Mexico, things like intermission stills were still used up to the mid 90's, and multiplex theaters were not common on small cities like Reynosa.

Though I kinda miss intermission stills. Nowadays, if I had the urge for some grubs, I could leave at some important part of the film without knowing. I was kind of surprised when the old Evangelion first film, had an intermission still.

Kay, have to check the film as soon as I go back home.

[ZoetMB]

Originally Posted by davidoak

The theatrical cut ended up as 154 mins (not incl overture etc) because the studio/distributor wanted more shows per day.

No. Remember that this movie was a roadshow release in Cinerama (for at least the first two years). There were no continuous shows. The film played across the country in Cinerama-equipped (even though it was single-projector 70mm) theatres as a reserved seat attraction with shows generally at 2pm and 7pm.

Length would not have been an issue until the film went to general release 35mm theatres.

A better explanation for the length cut would be (and I'm guessing) either because they found that audiences were getting restless or because the total time increased theatre expenses because it hit some union hurdle of having to pay the employees extra, especially the projectionists. One of the reasons for the change from 3-strip 35mm Cinerama to 70mm was because the union required a minimum of four projectionists (and I think five in some theatres): one for each booth + one for the separate audio on mag. It was enormously expensive to keep this going.

[Dan_Shane]

Originally Posted by davidoak

Oh, dear...that's not good news! (for me!). I have a Panny BDP-BD30 so it's about 3 yrs old. Maybe I need to update but before I do I might take the Mad World BRD to a shop and ask them to run it. Thanks for the reply.

A friend of mine has the same model Blu-ray player and was experiencing the same issue. I helped him update the player to the newest firmware downloaded from Panasonic's support site, and now the extras play fine.

[davidoak]

Originally Posted by Dan_Shane

A friend of mine has the same model Blu-ray player and was experiencing the same issue. I helped him update the player to the newest firmware downloaded from Panasonic's support site, and now the extras play fine.

Thanks. Yes, I see that the Panasonic site has the current firmware version as 2.5. My player is at 1.5. The Panny site has a download and I tried this but I'm running Windows 7 and the site has the download only for XP - at least that's how it seemed to me. This is off topic and I hope no-one objects.

[Jacksmyname]

Originally Posted by davidoak

Oh, dear...that's not good news! (for me!). I have a Panny BDP-BD30 so it's about 3 yrs old. Maybe I need to update but before I do I might take the Mad World BRD to a shop and ask them to run it. Thanks for the reply.

I have the same player; Mad World plays fine here.
By all means, update.

[davidoak]

From post number 138:

[Ron Epstein]: What was the original length of "IAMMMMW" as filmed by Stanley Kramer?


[Robert Harris]: From what I have been told, about 5 hours.


[Ron Epstein]: As premiered in its roadshow version?


[Robert Harris]: 195 minutes.


[Ron Epstein]: As cut down to later theatrical and video?


[Robert Harris]: 154 minutes.


[Ron Epstein]: How much of the original roadshow footage do you have?


[Robert Harris]: We're up around 188 minutes of bona fide roadshow footage.


[Ron Epstein]: Missing minutes of audio?


[Robert Harris]: 3-4 minutes


[Ron Epstein]: Missing minutes of visual?


[Robert Harris]: 6-7 minutes, some of which could be newly shot.

[shacmasta]

Just placed an order thru Wal-Mart.com for me and my uncle. A True Classic!

[Dan_Shane]

Originally Posted by davidoak

Thanks. Yes, I see that the Panasonic site has the current firmware version as 2.5. My player is at 1.5. The Panny site has a download and I tried this but I'm running Windows 7 and the site has the download only for XP - at least that's how it seemed to me. This is off topic and I hope no-one objects.

The firmware doesn't care what operating system you use. You simply burn the file to a CD using your favorite software, then insert the CD into the Panny player and follow the prompts. Be patient and let the process finish, powering off the player after ejecting the disc.

I don't consider these instructions off-topic since it enables features specific to the discussed title. Hopefully the moderator feels the same way.

[davidoak]

Thanks to those who offered advice around my not being able to view some of the extras on the new Mad World BRD. I finally managed to upgrade the firmware on my BD player (by using Nero and not Windows burning sw) and all is well - all of the extras now play fine. The feedback was appreciated.

[Lemmy Lugosi]

I'm not sure if I've ever seen the 188-minute version (with footage not on the blu), but I just picked up a new/sealed copy of exactly that version on a double-VHS set at a garage sale for fifty cents, and I still have an old VCR somewhere....going to watch it today, and compare the footage seen with the version on the BD. I'm sure there'll be some cool stuff....I wish the blu had come out in a "super-deluxe" version, with every available version of the film.

[Dan_Shane]

Originally Posted by Boris Lugosi

I'm not sure if I've ever seen the 188-minute version (with footage not on the blu), but I just picked up a new/sealed copy of exactly that version on a double-VHS set at a garage sale for fifty cents, and I still have an old VCR somewhere....going to watch it today, and compare the footage seen with the version on the BD. I'm sure there'll be some cool stuff....I wish the blu had come out in a "super-deluxe" version, with every available version of the film.

Well, considering how little you invested you won't be kicking yourself when you watch the VHS, but don't get too excited. Unlike the concurrent boxed laserdisc quite a bit of cropping was done on the tape to produce anything approaching a watchable image. Based on my memory I would guess the aspect ratio to have been about 2:1 or less.

[The Valeyard]

Originally Posted by Douglas R

You only need to keep the DVD if you want the Entr'acte (interval) music, which isn't on the Blue-ray - seems as if they mistakenly omitted it.

Thank you!

[Philippe007]

Hi,

On the cover and on amazon.com, it is region A coded.

On Blu-ray.com, it is region A and B

Could anyone help me as I live in Europe.

Thanx.

Best Regards

[REPLAY]

I have it and it has A on it.

[Philippe007]

Originally Posted by REPLAY

I have it and it has A on it.

Thanx.

I don't understand why on blu-ray.com it is A and B (tested).

Who is right ? Blu-Ray.com or the jacket ?

[Douglas R]

Originally Posted by Philippe007

Thanx.

I don't understand why on blu-ray.com it is A and B (tested).

Who is right ? Blu-Ray.com or the jacket ?

It's not locked to Region A. Those region symbols don't necessarily mean that the disc only plays on that region. The symbol is intended to be an indication of what region the disc is being distributed for.

[Socko]

I have it and I'm from Europe. It plays fine on my standalone Blu-ray player

[rocks off]

So, living in Canada, I assume I'll have to buy this online, correct?

Oh well...

[yellowcakeuf6]

The transfer of this Blu-ray looks fantastic. It's one of the best of the 60's era transfers I've seen.

[JediFonger]

when does walmart exclusivity end and mass availability happen? seems like a lot of MGM are exclusive w/wm.