Looks like another petition is in order....Disney goes fullscreen only? (1 Viewer)

[Daniel Schenk]

This is weird. Within Europe Disney released or will release so many different Sleeping Beauty editions. I now hear the UK and Benelux editions are only full frame? In case you want a Sleeping Beauty Widescreen CE just get the German release. Great DVD with great audio and video! And a 2-Disc Set as well.

 

[todd s]

I just got off the phone with Buena Vista Home video. The rep told me that both Max Keeble and Snow Dogs will both be full screen only.
I told her that this is ridiculous and could this be changed. She said that she will pass this on to marketing. She said that if they get a lot of calls, it might help. Here is their number 1-800-723-4763. They take your name and address and keep you on file. So at least they have a record of the calls. I urge everyone to call and complain. Even if you would not buy these movies in the first place. This is a very bad precident.

 

[GlennH]

I went to their website (go to www.disneydvd.com and click on "comments or questions" at the bottom of the page) and left them feedback. Here is their reply, followed by my original message:

Glenn,
Thank you for your email.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and concerns with us. Your comments will be passed along to our Marketing Department for their future consideration.
-----------------------
Dear Disney,
I have been reading some disturbing reports about Buena Vista Home Video's plans for some upcoming DVD releases. Namely, it is being reported at some of the Home Theater discussion forums that you will be releasing some future titles like "Muppet Treasure Island" NOT in their Original Aspect Ratio (OAR), but rather in Pan-n-Scan or Full-Frame format only.
PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS!! All movies should be made available on DVD in their PROPER format -- OAR! In addition, I, like many more people everyday, now own a widescreen TV. I didn't invest this money to watch chopped up movies.
I absolutely vow to you that I will not buy a single DVD title not presented in OAR. And I buy LOTS of DVDs (I own about 320 and counting), including a large number of Disneys. Your track record is pretty good on this. Please don't blow it now. I'm just the kind of regular customer you don't want to lose, and I assure you that there are thousands just like me. Check some of the discussion at
www.hometheaterforum.com to see what I mean.
Please do the only right and proper thing. Release all movies in their proper original aspect ratio.
Thank you.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

I just tried to call them and got a recording that they are closed for an hour today for a staff meeting. Maybe this is what they're discussing (the pessimist in me thinks they may be telling the reps how to tell people to f*** off if they complain about pan and scan!)

 

[LarryH]

Just sent my e-mail regarding Three Men And A Little Lady and my general policy of not purchasing pan-and-scan DVD's of widescreen films.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

"Three Men and a Little Lady" wasn't widescreen on laserdisc so they have somewhat of an excuse there, but there is NO excuse for ANY brand-new movies to be pan and scan only on DVD (unless they're also going to put out a widescreen LASERDISC!)

 

[LukeB]

Muppet Treasure Island was widescreen on laserdisc, was it not?

 

[GlennH]

I don't think whether or not the laserdisc was widescreen should be any excuse at all for what is done on DVD. The days of re-hashing LD transfers to use on DVD should be long over.

 

[LukeB]

I don't think whether or not the laserdisc was widescreen should be any excuse at all for what is done on DVD. The days of re-hashing LD transfers to use on DVD should be long over.

I agree wholeheartedly!!! But that is what it seems that Disney is doing on some of these unreleased titles to rush them out onto the market. Angels in the Outfield = nonanamorphic widescreen, for example! :rolleyes

 

[Jesse Skeen]

I have Muppet Treasure Island on laserdisc, in widescreen. "Re-hashing old LD transfers" would be PREFERABLE in this case if instead they're going to do a new "Digitally remastered pan-and-scan" transfer!

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Stop complaining.

call 1-800-72-DISNEY.

The comments consumers make to this number make an impact. REALLY.

Don't sound super technical. Just sound like someone who's aware that widescreen preserves the whole picture and you want Disney to release these films on DVD in their OAR.

The rep I spoke with was amazing. She knew the differences between 1.33:1, 1.85:1, and 2.35:1. She explained that she gets complaints from both sides...those who want widescreen and those who complain about black bars. She felt personally that Disney should try to make both versions available when possible, and also personally agreed that OAR should be chosen when both versions are not possible.

In any case. Call and tell them what you want. Make sure you get a widescreen plug in there for Muppet Treasure Island and Christmas Charol while you're at it!

BTW, one thing Disney could do with a 1.85:1 transfer is provide an anamorphic image that the player could then letterbox on its own. One transfer...one disc...both consumer camps are happy.

-dave

 

[LukeB]

It's not just about the two Muppet movies. There is an entire barrage of upcoming Disney DVD releases that we need to make sure are in OAR. See the list here:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...threadid=60776
All of those DVDs SHOULD be in OAR, but we need to make sure that happens.

 

[Joshua Clinard]

Hopefully my survey will help with this. I am up to 250 votes so far, but I need more. The results are looking very good so far, as thier is about 80% in favor of WS so far in each age category.

 

[Daniel Schenk]

On the Disney Sites for Snow Dogs it states clearly 1:33.1 but that`s for the VHS release. On the DVD site for Snow Dogs no technical specs are given at all. I just can`t believe that Disney wouldn`t release this movie in Widescreen.Maybe i`m too optimistic?

 

[LukeB]

On the Disney Sites for Snow Dogs it states clearly 1:33.1 but that`s for the VHS release. On the DVD site for Snow Dogs no technical specs are given at all. I just can`t believe that Disney wouldn`t release this movie in Widescreen.Maybe i`m too optimistic?

Disney's site is notoriously inaccurate for DVD specs. Currently, there are only "Fullscreen" releases planned for those. And that's the truth!

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Have you all called 1-800-72-DISNEY?

Please consider calling this number manadatory in order to post to this thread! What point is it to complain and whine if no one takes the initiative to just make toll-free phone call which can actuall effect a change in Disney's plans for these releases?

call.

BTW, had you called and spoken with a representative at the above number, you would have been informed that Snow Dogs will be 4x3 full-frame P/S. You then could have added your "vote" that the title be released widescreen OAR and 16x9. Oh well.

 

[Dave_P.]

Well DVDFile has apparently confirmed that Snow Dogs will indeed be P&S only:

In other Disney news, alas the rumors are true. Buena Vista has confirmed that the live-action hit Snow Dogs will be released only in a full frame version. According to a BV spokesperson, market research indicates that families prefer full frame, and no widescreen version will be released to appease us apparently adult collectors. Sigh.

This is definately an unfortunate sign. First "families" and then who knows? "Families" will become "consumers" and soon all we'll see are Pan & Scam discs on the shelves. I guess this is the price we have to pay for all those $75 DVD players that are being sold.

 

[Mark Bendiksen]

Pathetic. Utterly pathetic.
Disney was one of my favorite producers of DVDs, too. Over the past couple of years their output had gotten better and better, and although the occasional Miramax catalog title got an old rehashed laserdisc transfer (Belle de Jour), at least all new releases were offered in anamorphic widescreen.
This is a major turn of events; make no mistake about it.
Link Removed

 

[Daniel Schenk]

Disney offers Snow Dogs only in a family friendly Full Screen version. However (and thank god!) they will release Return to Neverland in Anamorphic Widescreen only! What is this for a policy? One family title only in Full Screen and the other only in Widescreen? I guess that Disney must be very confused!!

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Ok people.

&ltadministrators forgiveness&gt


Quote:



Pathetic. Utterly pathetic.





What's pathetic in this whole debacle are YOU people on THIS forum.

You're all a bunch of whiners who deserve what you get. In fact, if Disney Panned and Scanned every title from this point on you'd utterly, fundamentally deserve it.

How can I say this? I'll tell you.

I just spoke with a Disney rep who told me that I'm the only person who's called to ask for OAR/16x9 for any of these upcoming titles, whereas they've received hundreds of calls asking that many of these titles be released in the full-frame format. This rep wasn't talking about the calls that they've *personally* received either. They were telling what complaints/requests had been logged into the database.

PATHETIC

You know that really, REALLY hard almost impossible thing to do to tell Disney DIRECTLY and EXACTLY how you feel to effect DIRECT change in their polilty...that little 1-800-72-DISNEY phone number?

You haven't called it.

While you all have been whining and complaining about how terrible and horrible Disney is, on this cute little forum out in cyberspace, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE have been calling that TOLL FREE phone number and telling Disney that they don't like black bars on their TV and that they want their Disney DVDs to "fill their (4x3) screen".

So Disney said to themsevles...well...we've got hundreds of consumers pro-actively calling us and telling us what they want...and they all want the same thing. Ok, that's what we'll do".

Yes, people, shocking as it may be, had all those moms and dads decided to get some silly on-line petition going or even more apethetically just ranted and raved about their letterboxing aversions on some internet forum, Disney would NOT be changing their policy toward OAR on family/B titles as they are now doing.

Don't you get it? Am I the only one smart enough to figure out that since DISNEY has provided a means of directly contacting them with consumer feedback...and proven their responsiveness to this line of communication by honoring the desires of the hundreds of callers who've complained about letterboxing...that if we want to effect a change in the pro-OAR direction we should call too?

No...that can't be...you're all smart 16x9 5.1 warry people. Some of you are even smart enought to understand what PCM/DTS/and Dolby Digital all mean. Some of you even understand really fancy/techy things like progressive-scan and 3-2 pulldown. But you'd rather just complain vapidly into space rather than actually have Disney change their plans and release these titles OAR 16x9? hmmm.

So I've got it. You all don't have access to telephones to make 1-800 toll-free calls because you're using the phone line for the internet!

Plan:

1. log-off your dial-up connection.

2. Call 1-800-72-DISNEY
3. Tell them that you want OAR (and 16x9) for *all* titles, including family and catalog "B" titles.
4. log back on your internet connection.
5. Post here telling people how rather than just complain like some news-group junky, you've actually placed a real and meaningful vote with Disney for our cause.

If everyone who read this thread *today* called Disney and said the above, Disney would change their DVD-release policy. I don't think you get it. Disney *wants* to do OAR and 16x9 WS...their own artists made these movies. Their decision to go 4x3 full-frame is soley and completely based on the consumer feedback they've been getting from people calling 1-800-72-DISNEY.

Why don't you?

Disillusioned and let down by members of this forum who'd rather prattle with useless complaing than do one simple thing to really, actually, make a difference,

David Boulet.

&lt/administrators forgiveness&gt