Synapse's "Wild Zero" - To Be Anamorphic, Or To Be Not??

06-22-2003, 07:03 AM

I asked Don May Jr about the release of Wild Zero at another forum, about the transfer - anamorphic or not?

Don's reply:

"The Japanese company told us that there were no elements available to make it anamorphic... and we asked.
I have no reason to doubt them because this same company gladly handed over an anamorphic transfer of STACY to us. If one was available, they would've given it to us with no problems.

The film was started as a long-form music video for the band Guitar Wolf and somehow morphed into a feature length film. When the Japanese comapany did the film transfer they didn't do it anamorphic, probably because when it was first conceived, it wasn't going to theatres anyway.

They did not elaborate on why and they said the original elements were no longer available.

I could have "falsified" the 4x3 master and made it anamorphic by lowering the resolution and softening up the picture, but I didn't want to ruin the picture quality on our release by doing that.

Japanese licensors have been notorious in the past for only providing 4x3 versions of films. There is a good number of years (the last 3-5 years or so) where there just WEREN'T that many anamorphic transfers made of Japanese films. The folks at Unearthed Films ran in to a similar situation with JUNK and EVIL DEAD TRAP II... just like the trouble we've had getting 16:9 elements from Japan. Keep in mind that WILD ZERO was made in 1999-2000. In Japan, three years ago, anamorphic transfers were not very common.

I have seen foreign DVD versions of WILD ZERO that claim to be anamorphic, but they are mislabelled and are also 4x3."

END OF POST

While this is a big letdown, I'll be picking this one up as soon as it's released.

aoiookami · 06-22-2003, 07:19 PM

I'll porbably get it regardless, Ive heard alot of good things about this flick.
on another note, has anyone heard any of Guitar Wolfs music? I love j-rock, but havent been able to find any of their stuff on kazaa or anything. that would be sweet if the dvd included the sountrack or something. wishful thinking I guess, but still...

06-22-2003, 09:38 PM

You can check out a few of their songs at http://www.sonymusic.co.jp/Music/Arch/KS/GuitarWolf/

Your typical punk band, sounds like shit on a record, but are great live.

hell ya! · 06-23-2003, 05:27 AM

How is this movie? i'm thinking about picking it up.

maybrick · 06-23-2003, 07:14 AM

The only thing I've heard by them is a 45 I bought in '95. Two songs, and both of them sounded to me like The Ramones when Dee Dee sang. As a matter of fact, and if I remember correctly, the B side was a Ramones cover. Nothing to write home about, as I recall...

mcchrist · 06-23-2003, 08:51 PM

Quote:

How is this movie? i'm thinking about picking it up.

Well, I didn't like it. Its ridiculous and incoherent, it can't decide what genre it wants to be and the humor is just fucking stupid. I say to give it a shot, you might like it more than I did, its just a step above Troma IMO.

dwatts · 06-23-2003, 10:21 PM

-- its just a step above Troma00

Crap, high-brow Jap fodder!

06-23-2003, 10:35 PM

i enjoyed the hell out of it.

06-25-2003, 01:17 AM

I've been downloading songs from Guitar Wolf all weekend and I've liked most of it. They sound oddly like The Hives on a song or two, and you have to love the Rolling Stones cover!

06-22-2003, 07:03 AM	#1
poorlogic Guest Posts: n/a	Synapse's "Wild Zero" - To Be Anamorphic, Or To Be Not?? I asked Don May Jr about the release of Wild Zero at another forum, about the transfer - anamorphic or not? Don's reply: "The Japanese company told us that there were no elements available to make it anamorphic... and we asked. I have no reason to doubt them because this same company gladly handed over an anamorphic transfer of STACY to us. If one was available, they would've given it to us with no problems. The film was started as a long-form music video for the band Guitar Wolf and somehow morphed into a feature length film. When the Japanese comapany did the film transfer they didn't do it anamorphic, probably because when it was first conceived, it wasn't going to theatres anyway. They did not elaborate on why and they said the original elements were no longer available. I could have "falsified" the 4x3 master and made it anamorphic by lowering the resolution and softening up the picture, but I didn't want to ruin the picture quality on our release by doing that. Japanese licensors have been notorious in the past for only providing 4x3 versions of films. There is a good number of years (the last 3-5 years or so) where there just WEREN'T that many anamorphic transfers made of Japanese films. The folks at Unearthed Films ran in to a similar situation with JUNK and EVIL DEAD TRAP II... just like the trouble we've had getting 16:9 elements from Japan. Keep in mind that WILD ZERO was made in 1999-2000. In Japan, three years ago, anamorphic transfers were not very common. I have seen foreign DVD versions of WILD ZERO that claim to be anamorphic, but they are mislabelled and are also 4x3." END OF POST While this is a big letdown, I'll be picking this one up as soon as it's released. Last edited by poorlogic; 06-22-2003 at 07:11 AM.

06-22-2003, 07:19 PM	#2
aoiookami Demon Fetishist Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Endsville, Canada Posts: 2,382	I'll porbably get it regardless, Ive heard alot of good things about this flick. on another note, has anyone heard any of Guitar Wolfs music? I love j-rock, but havent been able to find any of their stuff on kazaa or anything. that would be sweet if the dvd included the sountrack or something. wishful thinking I guess, but still... __________________ "This is officially sick...." Now Playing: Zelda 3DS, Minecraft, Dead Space 2

06-23-2003, 05:27 AM	#4
hell ya! ~Go ahead, make my day~ Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Ontario, CANADA Posts: 3,568	How is this movie? i'm thinking about picking it up. __________________ ~MY DVD COLLECTION~ "Devil on the left An angel on the right There's no mistake Who I'll be with tonight" DANZIG

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06-22-2003, 09:38 PM	#3
Deaddevilman Guest Posts: n/a	You can check out a few of their songs at http://www.sonymusic.co.jp/Music/Arch/KS/GuitarWolf/ Your typical punk band, sounds like shit on a record, but are great live.

06-23-2003, 07:14 AM	#5
maybrick HackMaster Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Keene, NH Posts: 8,617	The only thing I've heard by them is a 45 I bought in '95. Two songs, and both of them sounded to me like The Ramones when Dee Dee sang. As a matter of fact, and if I remember correctly, the B side was a Ramones cover. Nothing to write home about, as I recall...

06-23-2003, 10:21 PM	#7
dwatts HackMaster Join Date: May 2002 Location: Crashed Posts: 16,580	-- its just a step above Troma00 Crap, high-brow Jap fodder!

06-23-2003, 10:35 PM	#8
Gnaghi Guest Posts: n/a	i enjoyed the hell out of it.

06-25-2003, 01:17 AM	#9
Andrew Guest Posts: n/a	I've been downloading songs from Guitar Wolf all weekend and I've liked most of it. They sound oddly like The Hives on a song or two, and you have to love the Rolling Stones cover!