I was just curious if any of you know if it exists on VHS. If so, where is it? If not, where do you think I should write to post my opinion?

Thanks...

I have a copy of the Indy trilogy in widescreen on VHS. But, as I understand it, we in Australia are, for once, receiving something that is unavailable in the USA. And since we run on a PAL system, as opposed to NTSC, even if I were to send you the tapes, they'd be useless to you. In Australia, the films were released, as are most Paramount pics, under the CIC Home Video label. Maybe you could petition them?

Sigh... how did Austrailians get a widescreen edition? I mean, it's great that you've got it, but you'd think there'd be more than just one instance, if any. I guess you Aussies are better petitioners, or something.

But as far as Canada is concerned, I've checked far and wide, and I haven't seen it yet -- unless you count the dozens of heartaches where a well-meaning clerk will say, "Oh, yes!" and then show me the pan/scan edition... I'm sure I'm not the only one. Say... I've got an idea... take a look at the new posts above this one for my thought.

Everytime I'm in a video store I ask about
widescreen, and the answer is always the
same;"We,ve heard rumours but nothing
concrete yet." i'm from the heartland in Iowa.

Here's some info. I've posted in the past in regards to this...enjoy.

Ironically, the specially packaged widescreen INDY TRILOGY set for laserdisc has only been released in the U.K. Though widescreen laserdiscs of all films are available in the U.S. separately, the special boxed set...hasn't been published here...

I've seen it in a store in Hammersmith, England, and it's beautiful: A box with the INDY logo on a weathered-looking sandstone background. It's
a shame that they haven't done this packaging here yet.

There is, sadly, only a special packaging INDY-trilogy box set made for
American-VHS video and not laserdisc. Even worse, there IS NO WIDESCREEN VERSION OF THE FILMS AVAILABLE YET ON VHS VIDEO IN AMERICA. Only international (England, Austraila) countries have the video widescreen versions.

The U.S. artwork differs from the one released on the English PAL video package; the U.S. box featured the Drew Struzan "Indy" portrait from the LAST CRUSADE teaser, while the
U.K. package featured a new artwork on the collective "spine" of eack INDY video (similar to the starship Enterprise spine artwork when you have all the STAR TREK videos placed back-to-back). The English INDY video set has a really cool painting of Indy brandishing his bullwhip, looking really mean and pissed off...It looks more like the way Ford did
in RAIDERS (with more stubble and a darker expression) than in the sequels.

You must remember that American video
cassettes ("NSTC" video, or something like that) are NOT compatitble with European "PAL" format video cassettes, unless you have a special
kind of player that can play BOTH. Some professional places are able to transfer one format to another, but it's usually expensive...and sometimes they don't do it if the video in question is a copyrighted
program, due to copyright laws.

The difference between the US and European videos is subtle; though the cassettes are identical in size and appearance, the size of the actual magnetic tape and recording speed differ, largely due to the differences
in power outlets in Europe and America. So if you try to play a PAL video on an American VCR, the picture will look very askew -- as though
someone has completely readjusted the "tracking" dial.

In this case, I'd reccommend that you contact English-based video production companies. Paramount, I think, has a video manufacturing
company in England. If you want to try contacting Paramount in America
for more information (just SPECIFY you need a PAL format tape) you can try them at: PARAMOUNT PICTURES, (at either the VIDEO MANUFACTURING
DEPT. or THE STUDIO STORE), 5555 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA, USA.

But the BEST -- and easiest -- thing to do is to contact a major local video store. They order videos on a weekly basis, so surely they would
be able to give you the address and specifics as to where to contact, and how to order special videos not in stock.
__________________

The following message is in regards to the news on any THX RERELEASE OF THE INDY TRILOGY ON LASERDISC...

Well guys, I have some news regarding the INDIANA JONES trilogy on DVD/THX laser/VHS, from a spokesman at THX itself.

I attended today (Saturday Sept. 27) a special forum at Dave's Video and Laser Place, on Ventura Blvd. right outside of Los Angeles. It's one of the best places, I think, to get DVD and Laserdisc titles anywhere in the USA. I'm a regular customer, even though I hardly have enough money to buy laserdiscs. At this forum were several representatives from the
home video/digital mastering market of Columbia, MGM, Warner, Fineline, and THX. (Paramount, sadly, was not there.) Film critic Leonard Maltin was also a guest speaker.

I actually spoke to Susan Griffin, the director of the digital mastering program at THX/Lucasfilm. She was a very nice and friendly woman who didn't seem relunctant to answer anyone's questions without complete
honesty and frankness.

I asked her if, with all the STAR WARS hoopla over its recent rereleases, etc., there were any plans to rerelease the INDIANA JONES trilogy onto a special restored/improved sound/DVD format. She said that of ALL the consumer questions and feedback they have received, the INDY trilogy remains the most asked about.

Well, here's the bad news: as far as I learned, there were no set dates in the immediate future to rerelease the trilogy, either with THX sound, VHS WIDESCREEN, or onto DVD. She explained to me that the reason why there's been such a
delay for this was because the folks at LUCASFILM and PARAMOUNT had wanted to rerelease the trilogy in a special package, in association
with the release of INDY IV. But because the production of that film has been so long in the planning -- and pushed back farther than they
anticipated -- the plans to rerelease the trilogy have been in somewhat chaos. That said, she did NOT say that there wouldn't be a special
rerelease of the trilogy soon -- it's just going to take some time as they work out all the details.

The GOOD news to this means that INDIANA JONES IV, even if it will be another two years or so before being released into the theaters, IS
SERIOUSLY BEING PLANNED FOR PRODUCTION IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. No one would ever consider such marketing strategies unless INDY IV was going to be a reality one day. It may be taking its time, but better that and get it right than rush everything and sacrifice the film's quality.

As far as I'm concerned, we should all be grateful. I'm sure that my posting this will cause all hell to break loose with the gossip and rumor columns, so -- even if my asking is a futile attepmt -- please show the Lucasfilm/Paramount/Indy filmmakers some respect.

So what can WE all do? Well, believe it or not, the staff at Lucasfilm
actually DOES care about consumer input and feedback. If you write to
them with suggestions, they do take it very seriously.

Please, however, try to show some sincerity and intelligence in your
letters -- not "Why the *&*@@ haven't you rereleased the INDY series
onto *&*#$@*@ DVD or THX laserdisc????" These guys are professionals,
and the more maturity you show, the more they'll propably listen to what
you have to say. So, if you REALLY care about seeing Indy in special
home video/laser/DVD packages, you can write to them...

Here is the address you can reach for questions/comments/input:

THX
Consumer Affairs Dept./Home video marketing
THX Division, Lucasfilm, Ltd.
1023 N. Hollywood Way
Burbank, CA 91505
TEL: 818/526-0451
FAX: 818/526-0458

Well, I hope this info is useful to everyone...

Useful?!? That was great! Thanks for the time and effort...

i don't get it! why didn't paramount release the widescreen versions of the movies in america in the first place?

WE are a 4:3 Ratio Nation, Only with the implemitation of Hdtv will we break into the 16:9 Ratio with our tv sets. fortunatly!
I just wish they would relize that some of us out there like horizonal lines on our tv as long as we see what the director saw when filming. I can't wait for pan-scan to never be used again.

Brian, I agree. I think the coolest thing about getting the letterbox version of Star Wars was finally seeing Snagletooth for the first time. And I know, to some of you that is a small detail. But in my opinion, if you haven't seen it all, then what have you seen??

Something very pale in comparison.

In response to Brian, (two messages up), we are ALL 4:3 ratio, we're just different formats, NTSC, SECAM, and PAL. Our NTSC is the lowest screen scan interlace in the industry, 520 per screen at 30 frames per second. The only way to inprove to the picture is with a frame doubler, but enough video theory. The joke in the industry is the "meaning" of the letters, NTSC: Never Twice the Same Color, SECAM: Something Essentially Contrary to the American Method, and PAL: Peace At Last! HDTV is supposed to be world wide, but the argument has been WHO's HDTV format to go with. All are 16:9, but the frame rate has been the bug-a-boo.I think they've finally surrounded the problem. Regards.