Sony Pictures continues to drop existing widescreen transfers (1 Viewer)

[Brian_cyberbri]

Are you sure they just don't sell out of widescreen and only have full screen left (and don't re-stock the ws version)? I've seen on a number of occasions at a local Target where the week of release, a DVD will sell out of widescreen versions and still have a bunch of full screen versions.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

I've noticed that several times at Target too, which is one of several reasons why I think the separate releases are a bad idea- the WS sells more quickly, but after it's been out for a year or so they tend to just stock the FS. I've complained about this on a number of online surveys I've gotten after buying other stuff there, the last time I asked why they bothered having surveys if they weren't listening to comments on them! But as long as other stores are still stocking the correct versions, that's tolerable.

I think last year someone at Disney was threatening to take the WS of some dual release titles like "Santa Clause 2" out of print at some point, but I just checked that title and both are still in print right now.

Besides Warner, Anchor Bay also seems to have completely stopped doing MAR'd transfers on their newer discs, when they would usually include both before. Again, I doubt they've received as many complaints about that as Sony has from going the other way.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

I've suspected this for a while. I'm also beginning to suspect that it's the culprit behind much of the over-filtering in Disney/Miramax DVDs...making sure when the high-def version goes for sale that it looks discernably better than the DVD copy...

 

[TheBat]

here is the mailing address and phone number for sony/columbia!

JACOB

Columbia TriStar Home Video
10202 W. Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232-3195

Phone number removed by owner - please
use regular mail address instead

Web site (includes DVD): http://www.cthv.com
E-mail: [email protected]

 

[Jesse Skeen]

If you send anything to that address, make sure to put ATTN: Benjamin Feingold, President or the name of anyone else you might know works there. If you send it with nobody's name on it, they'll return-to-sender. As I mentioned, I mailed an "improved" disc back to this address and they sent me the correct one plus a free movie, yet they are continuing to do this to their titles.

 

[Joseph Bolus]

Oh boy ... I *blew* it!!

I had MacKenna's Gold on my list of "possible DVDs to purchase some day".

I saw this thread earlier today and immediately rushed to my local Suncoast thinking that I still had time to purchase the widescreen version of the movie.

No Joy!

The only copy they had of the movie was the new "Full Frame" only iteration!!

I just couldn't believe it!!

I am really frustrated with Sony at this point!

 

[Will_B]

I'd say the same reason why you can't find a hardcover book once the paperback has been released, but, it is a little different in that while books fall out of print never to be seen again, DVDs tend to come around again in special edition form (or not so special).

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Yes, or in this case held hostage by Sony giving us no choice but to buy one of the new players. :rolleyes

You know what, though, I waited over 2 years with the patience of a praying mantis for the corrected versions of the Back to the Future trilogy to arrive on store shelves, so Sony won't force me to do shit.

I will stick with my plan to hold off on the new players until I feel i'm ready for it.

 

[Greg_M]

Quote: Folks, I have it on good authority that this is actually part of a plan to "downgrade" the DVD format, in preparation for the new HD-DVD/Blu-Ray hybrid (remember that Sony now wants to merge the two competing formats).

I don't think SONY would actually downgrade their DVD's to prepare us for HD-DVD. The different between the two formats will be quite clear to the public.

SONY does do a good job on their releases and the have released many films I thought wouldn't see the light of day.

I would guess the reason for the full frame is the bottom line. It's just cheaper to release a single sided disc.

Many times the studios will test a group of titles to see how well they do, though in 2005 I would guess most people who support DVD accept the black bars, so why they chose the Full Frame version is a puzzle. I would hope SONY would go back and re-release the widescreen versions.

I picked up "Annie" for my niece for Christmas because she wanted it, but knowing it was the pan and scan version really killed me, I didn't want to support P&S, but my niece was happy (but she's only seven and doesn't care if a DVD is widescreen or full screen, she just accepts whatever she gets, but THAT will change).

 

[MatthewA]

Greg,

You could have gotten her the Japanese disc and a region-free player. 16x9, framed properly, 5.1 Dolby and DTS, and no PAL speedup.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Ok STOP right there Matthew...you better NOT be teasing...

are you telling me that I can get a 16x9 OAR WS Annie with 5.1 DTS audio...NTSC (no PAL speed up)???!!!?????

TELL ME HOW... do I just need to go to amazon's Japanese site and order it? PLEASE TELL ME IT'S STILL AVAILABLE!!!!!!!

Deperately,

DaViD Boulet

 

[WillG]

I am not sure this is entirely a Blu Ray conspiracy as it is simply a case of Sony being completly in bed with Wal-Mart. I used to work for a company who did business with Wal-Mart and the unoffical mantra was "Whatever Wal-Mart wants, Wal-Mart gets" They want to sell these dual sided DVDs with a reduced price, and they are not going to ask Sony to drop the Pan and Scan.

I say time and time again when something like this happens. If we want any chance of this practice to stop (Sony is notorious for not listening to customer feedback and although I like the effort of people on this forum writing letters to Sony, they are not going to do Dick about it and might acutally say "It will be available in Widescreen on Blu-Ray) we have to start taking these complaints up the chain. I'm not very resourceful when it comes to Hollywood, but I know a few here are. I think we have to start petitioning the Directors Guild of America. The rumored reason that "Castle Keep" was re-issued in Widescreen was because of intervention by Spielberg, Scorsese and Lucas. That makes sense because the continued dropping of the Widescreen side rules out the possibility that Sony had some kind of epiphany about OAR and decided to right their wrong.

"Starman" is on the list? Well, Carpenter is very vocal about about his distain for Pan and Scan. I am sure he would be furious about what Sony is planning to one of his most successful films (although, sadly I read a post by someone here claiming that his health has deteriorated recently, not necessairly where he's dying, but at dimished capacity.) I know people here have contact information for him.

I think we have to start thinking a little bit outside the box. Anyone have any other ideas?

 

[MatthewA]

I'm not teasing. The disc exists and is in print. I got it from CDJapan, but Amazon.co.jp has it as well (I just had trouble translating their site to English).

 

[Greg_M]

Wal-Mart might actually be the ones to write to, if they're calling the shots.

But this whole thing seems strange since it is mainly "B" titles and not the big "A" titles (that Wal-Mart would sell more of) that are going Pan and Scan only. It makes no sense because these titles don't look they would sell large numbers.

When "Lawrence of Arabia" is issued only in Pan and Scan
then something is seriously wrong.

 

[FrancisP]

While I think that Wal-mart tends to favor full-screen versions, they have stocked wide-screen films in the bargain bins. In the past, I have gotten films like Dillinger, Frogs, and 2001 in widescreen. I have also seen films like Hot Shots and Total Recall offered in widescreen. Right now, they have a large number olf older Paramount titles like Saturday Night Live, 48 Hours movies, and Clue to name a few. They all seem to be in the aspect
ratio that the DVDs were originally sold in.

I believe that Sony/Columbia is responsible for fullscreen
versions only. Sony is a company that has been run into the ground. Where it used to be a leader in home video, it is
way behind. Just looking at their financial statement, it is clear how bad Sony's performance has been.

 

[MatthewA]

Howard Stringer has got an even more difficult task than Robert Iger; unlike Disney, which miraculously continues to make money, Sony is losing money.

 

[TonyD]

i didnt even know MacKenna's Gold was on dvd.

not one widescreen copy on ebay either.

 

[Jing_B]

What are they thinking?


My Dvd Collection
http://www.dvdaficionado.com/dvds.html?id=chaplin_101

 

[Jesse Skeen]

Again- there are MANY other titles from other labels in the Wal-Mart bargain bins and similar deals that were priced much higher, but haven't been stripped down at all. There's a couple of Universal Collector's Edition titles that originally retailed for $34.95, and are now available for $5.50- they may not have the inserts anymore but the disc content is the same. Fox, which started out as one of the WORST DVD companies but has since become one of the best, has even put out older titles which hadn't been on DVD before, including both widescreen and Foolscreen transfers at $9.95 list price. Why is it these other studios can sell good discs at the lower price, but Sony can't? And again, I'd rather just pay the higher price for the Sony titles if they don't want to sell the good transfers for such a low price.
If Sony is losing money, they should get rid of whoever made this decision and hire ME to take their place. I will accept half of what they are currently paid.

 

[Hank E]

The first post in this thread says the "latest" casualties... is there a list of all the titles that they've f___ed up?

I know "The Deep" is also only pan & scan now. I saw the new cover at the store and was shocked to see it was just "full screen".