can anybody identify the source of a FWWM VHS tape I have?

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nemo
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can anybody identify the source of a FWWM VHS tape I have?

Post by nemo »

Back in the 90s when I could only dream about having any official TWIN PEAKS release I bought a pirate copy of FWWM on VHS at a famous Russian market at that time. While watching it I realized, that there was something strange about the ratio: there was definitely a bit more visible space on the screen than in official releases. It becomes more clear for instance in the Red Room scene, where one can almost see the top of the curtains attached to the ceiling (I remember it very distinctly in the scene when BOB/Leland enters the Red Room and stands before Mike/LMFAP). Apart from that this version doesn't have any subtitles in the Convenience Store scene and in the scene at the Partyland club. In my opinion it's more than likely, that the copy was recorded from a laser disc.
Unfortunately I can't show you any screenshots, because I didn't digitalize it, but maybe from this description alone somebody will be able to name the source of that tape record. Thank you!
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jlyon1515
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Re: can anybody identify the source of a FWWM VHS tape I hav

Post by jlyon1515 »

I thought all of the VHS copies of FWWM were open matte, and thus showing more info on the top and bottom (like boom mic's and tape on the floor where actors had to stand). Later, the Laserdisc that was made in widescreen used the open matte VHS, and just put black bars on the top and bottom, but that led to some very odd croppings. Here is an example of the bad framing on the laserdisc: Image

So I thought all the VHS copies were like that.
nemo
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Re: can anybody identify the source of a FWWM VHS tape I hav

Post by nemo »

Actually I watched only two full screen versions: the first one was broadcast on Russian television. The other is apparently a laser disc copy, which seems to be open matte comparing to the broadcast version. I remember noticing it in the Convenience Store scene and in the Red Room scene, where the top of the screen drew my attention.
By the way do you mean, that in open matte copies you can see some elements not belonging to the film? In my open matte version I haven't seen anything which would be inappropriate to the film. Maybe I will make a digital copy of it and put up some caps here...
nemo
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Re: can anybody identify the source of a FWWM VHS tape I hav

Post by nemo »

It has just turned out, that the copy I mentioned above is of the VHS release made by the British company Guild Home Video. I gave my video tape to my friend, who is making a digital copy of it right now. I'm going to post some screen shots to give you a picture what I'm talking about. But it seems, that nobody is enthusiastic about it as much as I am. Maybe it is really an old story and everybody is aware of open-matte versions.
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rewak
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Re: can anybody identify the source of a FWWM VHS tape I hav

Post by rewak »

It's the way it was always done, there's actually a good featurette about it on some Terminator 2 releases showing how they take the full 35mm aperture and create the intended theatrical AR and the 4:3 pan-scan version

It can be interesting to watch an open matte version of a movie because it does show you more image in places, sometimes it can show you things you really aren't meant to see. Or it interests me anyway :P
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Re: can anybody identify the source of a FWWM VHS tape I hav

Post by nemo »

Here are some screen shots. Looks familiar :?:
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rewak
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Re: can anybody identify the source of a FWWM VHS tape I hav

Post by rewak »

That tape has seen better days :P For comparison, yup more on the top and bottom but less on the sides
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Agent Sam Stanley
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Re: can anybody identify the source of a FWWM VHS tape I hav

Post by Agent Sam Stanley »

nemo wrote:Here are some screen shots. Looks familiar :?:
Cool nemo. First time I see the Red Room ceiling. Do you have more caps like this (not of the Red Room, more ceiling in general lol)
nemo
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Re: can anybody identify the source of a FWWM VHS tape I hav

Post by nemo »

Cool nemo. First time I see the Red Room ceiling. Do you have more caps like this (not of the Red Room, more ceiling in general lol)
Thank you for a feedback! :) I was also quite surprised by watching the open-matte video. If you look closer at the top of the screen cap of the convenience store scene, you can see actually not the ceiling, but some open space, which points out, that the setting for the scene had in fact been build up in a bigger room. So this fragment wasn't supposed to be visible, I think. The script tells also, that there is a strong cold wind in that room and the windows are flapping. By the way can anybody tell me what material are those windows partly covered with?
Talking about the ceiling in the Red Room is interesting, because Mark Frost told once, that talking the language of Twin Peaks there was no ceiling in the Red Room at all. But at the same time we do not see any actual ceiling in that scene, just the rims of the curtains.
If you're interested to have that copy and see more, I could upload it somehow.
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Agent Sam Stanley
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Re: can anybody identify the source of a FWWM VHS tape I hav

Post by Agent Sam Stanley »

nemo wrote: If you're interested to have that copy and see more, I could upload it somehow.
Don't worry, don't want to give you any extra work.
If you can share a few more "ceiling" caps it would be nice. If not, it's ok :)
nemo
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Re: can anybody identify the source of a FWWM VHS tape I hav

Post by nemo »

Don't worry, don't want to give you any extra work.
If you can share a few more "ceiling" caps it would be nice. If not, it's ok :)
I don't worry at all :) Talking seriously I don't really remember the scenes, where the open-matte format would reveal any other peculiar details. Also I still wouldn't like to watch any scenes before I see the new edition lighting my 12 candles in a dark room beforehand of course :)
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Agent Sam Stanley
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Re: can anybody identify the source of a FWWM VHS tape I hav

Post by Agent Sam Stanley »

nemo wrote: I don't worry at all :) Talking seriously I don't really remember the scenes, where the open-matte format would reveal any other peculiar details. Also I still wouldn't like to watch any scenes before I see the new edition lighting my 12 candles in a dark room beforehand of course :)
I hear ya. Since I saw the deleted scenes trailer I'm dying to watch FWWM again, but I'm holding myself until the set gets in my hands
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