Elmo in Grouchland: NTSC Widescreen?

[John Takis]

So I finally got around to picking up "Elmo in Grouchland" on DVD (R1 NTSC), only to discover that it's pan-n-scan. The only other NTSC release I can find is the Japanese R2 DVD, but that *appears* to be 4:3 as well. The various PAL releases seem to include the film in its original aspect ration, and formatted for 16:9 TVs ... but since PAL speed-up bothers me just as much as visual cropping, I'm not terribly interested in a PAL version.

So my question is: am I missing something? Is there a version of "Elmo in Grouchland" in any region where it is both widescreen AND NTSC?

As a follow-up: are any of the PAL DVDs progressive, as opposed to interlaced?

 

[minor muppetz]

I'm not sure, but I think it's in widescreen as an iTunes download. Otherwise, I don't think there are any widescreen DVD releases.

 

[D'Snowth]

The only Region 1 NTSC DVD release I've seen was presented in the reformatted 4:3 ratio.

 

[Rugratskid]

So I finally got around to picking up "Elmo in Grouchland" on DVD (R1 NTSC), only to discover that it's pan-n-scan. The only other NTSC release I can find is the Japanese R2 DVD, but that *appears* to be 4:3 as well. The various PAL releases seem to include the film in its original aspect ration, and formatted for 16:9 TVs ... but since PAL speed-up bothers me just as much as visual cropping, I'm not terribly interested in a PAL version.

So my question is: am I missing something? Is there a version of "Elmo in Grouchland" in any region where it is both widescreen AND NTSC?

As a follow-up: are any of the PAL DVDs progressive, as opposed to interlaced?

Listen to the audio on the video here.

It's the PAL version. And it has the black bars. It IS widescreen. If someone can get a PAL copy to me, I can slow it down and post it somewhere online.

 

[antsamthompson9]

Would anyone be willing to tell me if this is NTSC widescreen?

 

[Drtooth]

If Sony still owns the rights to this movie, I'm shocked that they haven't released it on Blu-Ray with a widescreen transfer. The full frame original suffers the same ugly slow down panning that made Ghostbusters unwatchable (until, of course, they released a widescreen version). I don't buy the whole "kids are too stupid to not scream and cry when a film's in widescreen" bull. Films should preserve the aspect f when they were enjoyed in theaters. Especially if it means blurry, slowed down, UGLY panning. The Welcome to Grouchland number looks frightful in full frame pan.

 

[mr3urious]

If Sony still owns the rights to this movie, I'm shocked that they haven't released it on Blu-Ray with a widescreen transfer. The full frame original suffers the same ugly slow down panning that made Ghostbusters unwatchable (until, of course, they released a widescreen version). I don't buy the whole "kids are too stupid to not scream and cry when a film's in widescreen" bull. Films should preserve the aspect f when they were enjoyed in theaters. Especially if it means blurry, slowed down, UGLY panning. The Welcome to Grouchland number looks frightful in full frame pan.

I'm glad Follow That Bird was re-released in widescreen for its 25th anniversary.

 

[Rugratskid]

I have the widescreen copy from a Region 2 DVD, so if anyone wants it, let me know.