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Zulu Dawn Region 1 DVD
Sheldon Hall


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 377
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For an interesting review of the film and comments on the quality of the new Region 1 DVD issued by Tango (bad news, I'm afraid), click on the following link:

http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s1752zulu.html
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PeterD


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 12
Location: Maryland, USA
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Thanks for the link, Sheldon, although of course not the news I was hoping for. By the way, I just found this entry from Irwin Sirotta, director of sales at Tango, among the customer reviews for this DVD at amazon.com, posted Sept. 23 in response to some negative comments about the release:

Hi guys. I am the Director of Sales for TANGO Ent.

We are very pleased with our releases of these 2 outstanding Action films, WILD GEESE & ZULU DAWN.

Trust us, we would have loved to have access to a Widescreen version of ZULU DAWN. I have ben informed that our owners searched far & wide for a widescreen version that was PRESENTABLE for the many fans out there.

Unfortunately, that was not available to us. Believe me, we tried.

Having said that, TANGO appreciates the support from all of the fans out there. That passionate support tells us we did good, just by releasing it the way we could.

Sit back, enjoy one of the greatest action films of its time, and be aware that if a VIEWABLE version in widescreen is made available, we will try and get it.

But viewing it any way, is better than none isn't it? The print is excellent.

Enjoy and thanks for supporting TANGO Ent.
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Zulu Dawn Rights
Rich
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Sheldon:

You might be aware of this. A few years ago in the days of laserdisc, I thought I saw Zulu or Zulu Dawn on a disc by Criterion. I thought perhaps that Criterion would've put them out on dvd. I guess they didn't hold the rights anymore, eh? Too bad because I thought that company would have done a decent job with the dvd. They seem to take pains in their transfers. Recently, I ordered a copy of Dawn and I'm anxious to see what it looks like on my set.
Sheldon Hall


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 377
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Hi Richus,

Criterion released ZULU on LD in about 1990, without any extras but with a stereo soundtrack, unlike MGM/UA's Region 1 DVD. I have a copy of it and there is a picture of the cover artwork in the book (as you will see in a couple of months' time!). Although Criterion released a number of MGM/UA titles on LD and a few in the early days of DVD, MGM/UA now apparently prefers to create its own DVDs and does not licence its catalogue to other companies. Hence there will not be a Criterion Sp Ed of ZULU (unless the situation has changed since MGM/UA's takeover by Sony, which I doubt).

Best, Sheldon
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KEITH


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 4
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One for Sheldon this. Why is it we can't seem to get a decent Widescreen 2.35:1 DVD of Zulu Dawn released? Are there no copies of the original 35mm film with stereo sound still in existence? I know that the film wasn't made by one of the major studios but who owns the rights now? By the way I noticed that a 35mm trailer for the film was sold on e-bay yesterday.
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Peter
Site Admin

Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 80
Location: Hertford, UK
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What I don't get is why they can't use the Region 2 DVD and just Region 1 it..

Simplistic, I know, but it's a lovely transfer, and is in widescreen...

Copyright strikes again.
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Sheldon Hall


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 377
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The distribution rights to ZULU DAWN have passed through the hands of several distributors over the years, but the problem with finding good source material for DVDs is that the negative was seized by the laboratory when the production company went bust and could not pay its bills. One of the producers is currently trying to reclaim it for restoration, so we shall have to wait and see. There are no doubt some decent 35mm 'scope-and-stereo prints in the possession of private collectors. The Region 2 DVD may be widescreen but it is 1.78:1 (16:9), not 2.39:1, so the sides of the image are cropped; and the sound on Mosaic's disc is mono, not Dolby Stereo as it should be.

Sheldon
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Peter
Site Admin

Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 80
Location: Hertford, UK
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Ahhh.. I stand corrected.

Mono?! <tuts> Fools...

Wink
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Rich
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heh heh....there's only one thing that'll solve all this film commiseration...Sheldon you must leave the halls of academia! You must try yer hand at directing! Things are going digital digital....why not be a part of this new er..."Dawn"...Why should Ridley get all the glory?.... Wink
NEW Tango DVD
Andrew Bush


Joined: 03 Sep 2005
Posts: 66
Location: Melbourne Australia
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So do I keep my Masaic DVD or upgrade to Tango, can some one please advise

Kind regards

Andrew

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Andrew
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Sheldon Hall


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 377
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I would hang on to the Mosaic disc - the Tango one is almost certainly taken from the same (or very similar) master.

Sheldon
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Zulu Dawn Region 1 DVD
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