Bought a P&S Warner SE by mistake. (1 Viewer)

[DeathStar1]

It's been about two months, and I've completly forgotten about the widescreen/fullscreen argument pertaining to the special edition of Willy Wonka.

I walk in to the store, see the only copy there, pick it up, and buy it. I come home, unwrap the thing, look at the extras on the back, then I notice the little bar on the bottom stating that it's the full frame version... I slap myself, suddenly remembering the argument, and berate myself for automaticlaly thinking it was widescreen.

I have the standard widescreen one at home, and the special edition full screen version down the shore. Sigh... Maby I can sell them both on ebay and re-purchase the widescreen special edition next stop..

Oh well, that'll teach me to look more closley at the back of Warner Brothers movies. They should be more clearly labled at the top, and on the front of the packaging so if you look at the cover, you see it immediatly.

 

[HenrikTull]

Yeah, it's Warner Brothers fault you didn't bother to look at the back of the cover before you bought it...

 

[DeathStar1]

Yeah, I know it's my fault. I just wish they'd put these things on the front of the package where it's easilly spottable.

Sometimes I just forget to check, or have other things on my mind at the time and just plain don't think about it.

 

[Peter Kline]

Unecessary thread in my opinon. Ads nothing to our discourse on film and DVD. Sorry.:frowning:
P.S. Since it was well-known that both P&S (actually full frame) and Widescreen were available, care should have been taken. Or, look before you leap!
P.P.S. I spoke via eMail with Neil and just mentioned that the title of the post was a bit harsh. No harm, no foul.

 

[Mike_G]

He has avalid point, though. I did the same thing with "The Grinch" only because I didn't know that there were two versions, so I just grabbed it off the shelf without even looking at it. You just take it for granted that it's widescreen sometimes.

Mike

 

[CameronS]

Unecessary thread in my opinon.

Necessary because of the fact that I might do the same thing one day soon (I haven't bought this yet).

And because on most releases, you don't have to look to see if you are picking up the Pan & Scan version. Usually the DVD will have the widescreen transfer anyway.

 

[Brian McHale]

I find it hard to believe that anybody who frequents this forum and is a proponent of OAR would buy ANY disc these days without verifying if it is widescreen or full screen. And then to blame the studio?

Yes, it's unfortunate that we have to bother, but there are so many full screen only DVDs these days that I look closely at EVERY disc to make sure I'm getting widescreen (if appropriate).

If you want to curse the studio, I suggest you save it for the times that they neglect to offer an OAR version, and not for your own mistakes.

 

[Malcolm R]

And because on most releases, you don't have to look to see if you are picking up the Pan & Scan version. Usually the DVD will have the widescreen transfer anyway.

This becomes less true everyday. I would never buy a DVD in today's marketplace without checking, and double checking, that it's widescreen. Anyone who just grabs and buys is asking for disappointment.
And the WW widescreen DVD does have a big red banner on the cover. Though this does point to another trend, where the P&S version isn't plainly labeled as such, and only the WS is marked. Warner did the same with "Harry Potter." Like WW, it is also a "Special Widescreen Edition" with the P&S version just having a plain black cover. Yet, with "Cats & Dogs," they clearly labeled both versions . . . no rhyme or reason apparently.

 

[Patrick McCart]

The widescreen version has a bright red ribbon at the top with white lettering saying "Special Widescreen Edition".

I always keep track of OAR releases and never even touch a dual release without looking for the full or wide banners. I wish Dreamworks labeled A Beautiful Mind better like the different color covers of the WB, Universal, and Columbia duals.

Shop at Best Buy next time...they carry both versions.

 

[MattHR]

I'm guessing there'll be a lot of problems like this with Disney's THE ROOKIE. The front covers of the WS and FS are identical: no label or banner indicating screen format.
The screen format is only indicated in the little gray box of specs on the back, and a tiny little label on the spine.
The movie is 2.35:1 (non family-friendly ) so you'd think Disney would clearly mark the covers. Buyers beware!

 

[Jack Briggs]

We're endeavoring to encourage constructive dialogue between the consumers and the studios. Hence, the change of this thread's title.

As Peter says, look before you leap.

 

[Chris M]

I picked up Beautiful Mind Full Screen by accident, I didn't figure they'd P&S it and the only diff I now know between the two are the words "full" or "wide" down at the very bottom, usually hidden by shelves. I was had, now I need to get rid of it. Sigh.. at least it gives me a reason to get rid of it with about 4 other DVDs.

Chris.

 

[Kyle McKnight]

Any title that I haven't kept an eye on through the net, that I don't know for sure is only available in OAR, I always check to see if it's a widescreen movie.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

You must have also forgotten that the full frame version was released first, and that at the time the cover was designed, Warner Bros. had no intention of ever releasing a widescreen version.

Now everyone's all bent out of shape because Warner Bros. didn't label the disc to distinguish it from then non-existent widescreen version that they didn't plan to release?

Unless they were clairvoyant, or capable of time travel, I'm not entirely sure why they would have done so. I think blaming a studio for their failure to predict the future is going a bit far, even for consumers as demanding as home theater enthusiasts.

The fact is that DVD is no longer the personal format of the small segment of the buying public that reads forums like this one. Yes, the studios are going to make concessions to the mass market. As long as they release both OAR and whatever butchered version other people prefer, I don't care. Nor do I find that it takes up too much of my valuable time to turn a box over and check the specs. There are frequently going to be two versions of a DVD from here on out. Someone else got it right, "Look before you leap."

Regards,

Joe

 

[Andrew_Sch]

While it was pretty much all Neil's fault for not checking first, it would be nice of Warner to at least label the Full-Frame version because not everybody who prefers widescreen is as knowledgable about this stuff as the HTF.

 

[Patrick McCart]

While it was pretty much all Neil's fault for not checking first, it would be nice of Warner to at least label the Full-Frame version because not everybody who prefers widescreen is as knowledgable about this stuff as the HTF.

I agree with that. The best solution would, IMO, to send any stores carrying both versions a set of stickers to put on the open matte version that reads "Also Availible In Widescreen"

In fact, all dual versions should be like that. (No sticker for widescreen versions, however.)

 

[Bruce Hedtke]

Get in the habit of buying only anamophically enhanced discs (or, more specifically, looking to see if it is enhanced). That way, you usually have to look on the back to find out if it is, indeed, enhanced-and that will tell you the AR as well.

Bruce

 

[DeathStar1]

You're all right, of course. As stated in an earlier thread, I was more pissed off at myself for stupidly forgetting the details than I was at WB. Just like I had forgotten all the P&S hoopla, I also forgot that there where originally no plans for a WS version. But I still wish they would have put a Full Screen label easilly displayed on the front somewhere...guess I got spoiled as most of the other DVD's I've purchased where widescreen only.

Purchasing this title was basically an afterthought impulse, since I didn't find my first two choices and didn't want to leave empty handed. However, it's no excuse for not looking closer.

Another reason for the thread, was wondering if anyone else made the same mistake..

But once again, I apologize.

 

[Bruce Hedtke]

No need to apologize. I think we all need a reminder from time to time that it's not that hard to make mistakes. It also keeps the point alive that studios definitely need to work on standardizing a labeling system, to make the P/S and widescreen copies more easily identifiable.
Bruce

 

[CameronS]

This becomes less true everyday. I would never buy a DVD in today's marketplace without checking, and double checking, that it's widescreen. Anyone who just grabs and buys is asking for disappointment.

I should have clarified. I do the same thing and always have.

But it's easy to take for granted the fact that widescreen transfers are on most DVD releases. All of us here at the HTF usually know off the top of our heads which releases to look out for, but the lists are getting longer and the lines are becoming even more blurred. For example, I wouldn't think twice about picking up something like Predator or American Beauty. I know the disc will include a widescreen transfer. But, as Malcolm said above, that's all changing.

Of course it's not the studio's fault for looking out for everyone's interests.

As for calling this thread pointless, I'd have to disagree. What could be better than a reminder to weed out the growing number of P&S releases?